67YO Dad from M’sia Commuted to S’pore Every 2 Weeks to Visit His Son in Changi Prison for the Last 10 years

Last Updated on 2023-05-05 , 12:28 pm

Asian society places great importance on family—good parents should offer their children unconditional love and give their all to better their children’s lives, even at their own expense.

67-year-old farmer Mr Zhang Jiapin holds himself firmly to this—for ten years, he crossed the border from Malaysia to Singapore every two weeks at 2 am, to visit his son in Changi Prison.

His son was initially sentenced to death, but had his sentence amended to life imprisonment—because of this, Mr Zhang still holds hope that they will reunite one day outside of the prison’s premises.

Waits Outside Prison From 3 In The Morning

Every two weeks, at 2 am, Mr Zhang wakes up to prepare to drive on his motorcycle from Johor Bahru to Singapore, to visit his son in Changi Prison.

His visits are limited to just 15 minutes, following prison regulations. Still, he makes the commute to see his son, even as age catches up to him.

He has been doing this for the past ten years. Every two weeks, he would arrive at the petrol station opposite the prison at around 3 am, and wait on the curb for five hours, till the prison opens for visitation at 8 am.  

In an interview with Chinese media outlet 8world, Mr Zhang said he starts his journey early to allow him time to drive slowly and safely, and avoid traffic jams on the roads. Still, he’s sustained injuries from falling from his motorcycle during his commute but he said none of them were major.

The employees at the petrol station are familiar with him too—he expressed that he was on good terms with one of the attendants there, referring to him as “kawan” (the Malay word for “friend”), in the video of the interview. 

After so long, he’s also witnessed changes in the area, pointing out that the trees on the sidewalk have grown significantly taller, as well as the construction of a new mall.

All this, just to see his forty-year-old son Zhang Junyan, who is currently serving a sentence for drug-trafficking-related charges. 

Originally Sentenced To Death

According to his father, Zhang Junyan, who was under the impression that he was simply delivering goods for his friends, was arrested by Singaporean police in June 2008 on charges of drug trafficking.

In order to earn RM 8,000 (around SGD 2,400), Zhang Junyan smuggled heroin into the country, a crime punishable by death.

He was apprehended by the police and imprisoned for several years on death row, after unsuccessfully attempting to appeal his sentence.

However, after the Misuse of Drugs Act was amended, his sentence was commuted in 2014 to life imprisonment and 15 strokes of the cane instead.

His father Mr Zhang said that his son had told him then that he was heading abroad to work for a friend, and would be overseas for a few days. However, Mr Zhang did not hear from him after a week, and started to worry. He then asked a teacher his son was close to about his son’s whereabouts and was told that Junyan had travelled to Singapore.

Upon hearing this, he went to Singapore and headed to a police station to inquire about his son, but instead learnt that his son had broken the law and had been detained. 

Later, Zhang Junyan was sentenced to death. To help his son appeal his sentence, Mr Zhang Jiapin sold three houses he owned to pay legal fees, but all his appeals fell through. 

He even headed to the Istana in 2011 with his ex-wife and two daughters, kneeling on the ground to beg former President S.R. Nathan for clemency. He also collected signatures from people on the streets of Singapore, hoping that the law would spare his son.

In 2014, amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Act finally granted his wish, and his son was sentenced to life imprisonment instead.

Hopes To Reunite With His Son

Under Singaporean law, after a prisoner sentenced to life imprisonment has served 20 years of his sentence, authorities will review if the prisoner is suitable for release.

Counting from his date of arrest in 2008, Mr Zhang Junyan’s case will be due for review in 2028, making his earliest release date around five years from now. 

Mr Zhang, therefore, hopes that his son will be released then, so they have a chance to reunite outside the walls of Changi Prison.

According to him, Mr Zhang Jiapin’s 90-year-old mother had passed away just five months ago. Her last wish was to see her grandson Junyan released from prison, but she could not fulfil this.

While talking about his deceased mother’s love for her grandson, Mr Zhang started to sob.

“My mother really loved Junyan, because he was very filial to her, and always bought the food she liked for her to eat. She wanted to see Junyan a while ago, and I promised her I would take her to visit him, but it was too late,” he said.

Son’s Sentence Changed The Way He Lived

His son’s encounter also directly affected Mr Zhang’s way of life—even in his old age, Mr Zhang had to rent a cheaper place to stay, and pick fruits and vegetables twice a day to sell at the market.

But even after ten years, amidst constant changes in his life and his surroundings, his fatherly love for his son remains steadfast and unchanged.

Sometimes, the roads would be slippery when it rains but Mr Zhang would wear a raincoat and visit his son all the same.

“It’s okay if I fall; I’ll just get up and keep riding the motorcycle. As long as I can see my son, I’m happy. I miss him so much,” he said with a wistful smile.