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Punch Coomaraswamy
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Punch Coomaraswamy
Punchardsheram "Punch" Coomaraswamy (16 October 1925 – 8 January 1999) was a Singaporean judge, diplomat and politician who served as Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore between 1966 and 1970, and Singapore Ambassador to the United States between 1976 and 1984.
He had also served as Singapore's Ambassador to Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Fiji, India, and Sri Lanka.
Punchardsheram Coomaraswamy was born on 16 October 1925 as the son of Kandiah and Chellam Coomaraswamy. Kandiah Coomaraswamy was a medical doctor who served in the then Straits Settlements Medical Service from 1916 to 1955, when he retired. Coomaraswamy received his early education at the English College in Johor and later obtained his law degree from the University of Nottingham in England.
Coomaraswamy practised in the firm of Braddell Brothers as an advocate during the 1950s and 1960s. From 1958 to 1960, he was appointed the Honorary Secretary of Singapore Bar Council. He was a visiting lecturer in the law of evidence at the University of Singapore (now National University of Singapore) from 1959 to 1969. From 1961 to 1969, he was a lecturer for the Board of Legal Education, Singapore. During his time as a lawyer, Coomaraswamy represented convicted murderer Sunny Ang in his trial, where Ang was accused of murdering his girlfriend for her insurance. Ang was executed in 1967.
In February 1966, he was appointed the Deputy Speaker of Parliament and in August of the same year, he was appointed the Speaker of Parliament. He was the Acting President of Singapore from 5 March to 5 May 1968. Dr Yeoh Ghim Seng took over as the Speaker of the Parliament in January 1970.
His first appointment with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was from January 1970 to July 1973 as Singapore's High Commissioner to India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh. From July 1973 to September 1976, he was Singapore's High Commissioner to Australia and Fiji, and from October 1976 to August 1984, he was Singapore's Ambassador to the United States and Brazil.
He served as a Supreme Court judge from 7 September 1984 to 15 October 1993.
One of the cases presided by Coomaraswamy as a judge was the 1987 case of Teo Boon Ann, a 26-year-old temple medium charged with killing 66-year-old Chong Kin Meng during a failed robbery attempt. Together with then Judicial Commissioner Chan Sek Keong, Coomaraswamy rejected Teo's claims of killing the victim in self-defense, and instead, they found that Teo had intentionally and cruelly killed Chong to avoid leaving her alive as a witness to identify him. As such, both Chan and Coomaraswamy found Teo guilty of murder and sentenced him to death.
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Punch Coomaraswamy
Punchardsheram "Punch" Coomaraswamy (16 October 1925 – 8 January 1999) was a Singaporean judge, diplomat and politician who served as Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore between 1966 and 1970, and Singapore Ambassador to the United States between 1976 and 1984.
He had also served as Singapore's Ambassador to Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Fiji, India, and Sri Lanka.
Punchardsheram Coomaraswamy was born on 16 October 1925 as the son of Kandiah and Chellam Coomaraswamy. Kandiah Coomaraswamy was a medical doctor who served in the then Straits Settlements Medical Service from 1916 to 1955, when he retired. Coomaraswamy received his early education at the English College in Johor and later obtained his law degree from the University of Nottingham in England.
Coomaraswamy practised in the firm of Braddell Brothers as an advocate during the 1950s and 1960s. From 1958 to 1960, he was appointed the Honorary Secretary of Singapore Bar Council. He was a visiting lecturer in the law of evidence at the University of Singapore (now National University of Singapore) from 1959 to 1969. From 1961 to 1969, he was a lecturer for the Board of Legal Education, Singapore. During his time as a lawyer, Coomaraswamy represented convicted murderer Sunny Ang in his trial, where Ang was accused of murdering his girlfriend for her insurance. Ang was executed in 1967.
In February 1966, he was appointed the Deputy Speaker of Parliament and in August of the same year, he was appointed the Speaker of Parliament. He was the Acting President of Singapore from 5 March to 5 May 1968. Dr Yeoh Ghim Seng took over as the Speaker of the Parliament in January 1970.
His first appointment with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was from January 1970 to July 1973 as Singapore's High Commissioner to India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh. From July 1973 to September 1976, he was Singapore's High Commissioner to Australia and Fiji, and from October 1976 to August 1984, he was Singapore's Ambassador to the United States and Brazil.
He served as a Supreme Court judge from 7 September 1984 to 15 October 1993.
One of the cases presided by Coomaraswamy as a judge was the 1987 case of Teo Boon Ann, a 26-year-old temple medium charged with killing 66-year-old Chong Kin Meng during a failed robbery attempt. Together with then Judicial Commissioner Chan Sek Keong, Coomaraswamy rejected Teo's claims of killing the victim in self-defense, and instead, they found that Teo had intentionally and cruelly killed Chong to avoid leaving her alive as a witness to identify him. As such, both Chan and Coomaraswamy found Teo guilty of murder and sentenced him to death.