At 2 a.m., 67-year-old farmer Zhang Jiaping wakes up, preparing to ride his motorcycle from his home in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, across the causeway to Singapore. His destination is Changi Prison; even though each visit allows only 15 minutes with his son, Zhang has made the journey every two weeks for the past decade. He arrives at a gas station opposite the prison around 3 a.m., waiting until 8 a.m. for the prison doors to open, just to catch a glimpse of his 40-year-old son, Zhang Junyan.
Zhang Jiaping’s son, Junyan, was used by a friend to smuggle heroin and was arrested on drug trafficking charges, resulting in a death sentence. The father had even gone to the President’s residence to plead on his knees for clemency, which made headlines at the time.
In 2008, Junyan smuggled heroin to earn a reward of 8,000 Malaysian Ringgit (approximately 2,411 Singapore dollars). Believing he was just helping a friend deliver goods, he was arrested by Singapore police and charged with drug trafficking. After failed appeals, Junyan was eventually spared the death penalty when Singapore revised its drug laws in 2014. His sentence was changed to life imprisonment with 15 strokes of the cane.
According to Singapore law, after serving 20 years of a life sentence, the authorities will review whether a prisoner is suitable for release. That means Junyan could potentially be released as early as 2028, counting from his arrest in 2008.
The reporter and photographer arrived at the gas station opposite the prison at 4 a.m. and saw Zhang Jiaping sitting alone on the stone steps. He greeted the reporters with a strained smile and began recounting how he has faced the long, endless wait over the years.
Zhang Jiaping told reporters that his nearly 90-year-old mother passed away five months ago. Her final wish was to see her grandson “Ah Yan” released from prison, but she left the world with regret, unable to fulfill her wish.
Reflecting on his mother’s love for her eldest grandson, Zhang Jiaping was filled with emotion. “My mother doted on Junyan the most because he was very filial to her. He always thought about what to buy for his grandmother. She insisted on seeing him not long before her passing, and I promised her I would bring her here, but she couldn’t wait for that day,” he said tearfully.
Junyan’s ordeal also directly changed Zhang Jiaping’s life. In his later years, he rents a low-cost house for 700 Ringgit (about 211 Singapore dollars) and works twice a day picking vegetables from the fields to sell at the market. His twilight years have been full of hard work and hardship.
After more than a decade, the surroundings have changed, but a father’s unwavering love remains constant. “There used to be just one big tree here, but now there are three small trees. There used to be a café next door, where I could sit and rest, but it was later demolished to build a building. I’m familiar with several employees at the gas station, who sometimes buy tea for me to drink.”
According to Zhang Jiaping, it takes about 30 minutes to ride a motorcycle from his home to Changi Prison. However, he chooses to leave at night mainly because he is older and can’t ride fast, and his motorcycle is old. He worries about collisions with other motorcycles in traffic jams, so he prefers to leave early to avoid congestion.
Even in rainy weather, Zhang Jiaping continues to visit his son. On rainy days, he wears a raincoat and rides his motorcycle cautiously and slowly. Despite being careful, the slippery roads have caused him to fall two or three times, resulting in minor injuries. But Zhang Jiaping simply smiles and says, “It’s okay; I just get back up and continue riding my motorcycle. I’ll be happy once I see my son. I miss him so much.”