Another thought, that has me troubled here....
Firstly, you cannot help but know that Singapore has a hard line on those who import drugs. Not a secret. If you do import the vile stuff, you really do deserve all you get, I am afraid. Singapore has no wish to see her citizens drugged up, with all the attendant misery that causes, and a far better society it is for that, IMHO.
BUT....
I was under the naive impression that the law in Singapore was "the importation of controlled substances". This guy was in transit, and had no intention of importing drugs into Singapore. He was trying to import them into Australia. He did not try and enter Singapore. He was caught when he set off a security alarm at a boarding gate, and was hand frisked.
Under those terms, shouldn't the Singaporeans hand him over to the Australians, since it surely would be Australian law he was going to flout, not Singaporean law?
Just a thought...