ABC's director of news will travel to Singapore this week in the hope of speaking with the broadcaster's South Asia correspondent, Peter Lloyd, who faces 20 years in jail and 15 strokes of a cane if convicted on serious drug charges.
News boss John Cameron will be the second senior ABC executive to fly to Singapore - the head of ABC's legal services, Rob Simpson, arrived on Friday - following Lloyd's arrest on Thursday.
The journalist has been charged with trafficking about one gram of methamphetamine to a Singaporean for $S100 ($75) at a hotel early this month and for allegedly being in possession of about one gram of the stimulant methamphetamine, also known as ice.
The ABC was unwilling to comment on Lloyd's predicament yesterday, but in a statement said that Mr Simpson was yet to meet directly with Lloyd.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith is also due to arrive in Singapore late tonight for previously arranged ASEAN discussions.
However, the minister's office said he was likely to engage the Singapore Government in discussions about Lloyd's case only if there were any limitations placed on normal consular access to Lloyd. Currently, the Australian high commissioner in Singapore is providing assistance facilitated by Singapore authorities.
Consular officials attended last week's private court hearing in the prison ward of Changi General Hospital where Lloyd, 41, was charged.He was being treated for an eye infection he contracted while on leave from his New Delhi posting. He was set to return to Australia next month to host a new breakfast program on ABC2.
A bail of $S60,000, with the surety of a Singapore national, has been placed upon Lloyd. It is not known whether he will meet those bail conditions.
Lloyd's next court hearing is scheduled for Friday.
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