It is interesting to note that when you point your forefinger at someone, three other digits point back at you.
This is always pointed out in a blame game when someone starts to criticize over an issue or conduct. Another party will tell him that he ought to note that he has 3 digits pointing back at him. This is to say that no one is blameless.
In the past week much has been published over who is to blame for the death of a fifteen-year old boy who was at the wheel of his sister’s car when a bullet entered his head and he crashed into a tree near his home. This happened in the wee hours of the morning, at around 02:00.
It later transpired that earlier on, he had hit another car, driven off and then ran through a series of red lights with a police patrol car chasing after him. Warnings by the police to stop were ignored and it was alleged that he reversed his car into the police officers at a road block. Shots were then fired at his tires and one shot hit him. His companion escaped in the confusion of the aftermath.
The police have been accused of being trigger-happy without cause for killing a teenager.
The mother of the deceased has stated that her son was a good, loving, obedient boy who did well in school and had dreams of becoming an astronaut. She is angry that her son was labeled a criminal.
The police say they had no way of knowing that the driver was an unlicensed teenager under the circumstances of the incident. It was 2:00 a.m. and the car had run through red lights, ignoring police warnings to stop. Thus the chase ensued. When the car reversed into the policemen manning the roadblock, they shot at the tires to stop the car. However one shot had hit the driver. They discovered only later that the driver was a teenager who did not have a driving license as he was under age.
Many members of the public have said that the police were only carrying out their duty as guardians of the law and a car that refused to heed police warnings to stop and then running through the red lights gives rise to suspicions that something is not right. Hence the chase to apprehend the driver who could be a criminal trying to make a getaway.
Others have come out in a tirade against the boys in uniform.
The top brass have promised a transparent investigation into the matter and assured the public and the bereaved family that there will be no cover-up. The family want a Royal Commission, others want Suhakam ( Human Rights ) to investigate, while the Home Minister himself has been reported to say that an independent panel will be formed to investigate.
Witnesses have been called to give their statements and investigations by the police are on going.
An issue has arisen where the lifestyle of current teens is somewhat a culture shock to the older, more staid generation. Questions have been asked: what are kids of 15 doing out of their beds at 2:00a.m. driving on roads when they should be in bed? Why are parents so permissive that they allow their youngsters to gather at mamak stalls ( stalls that offer snacks and drinks up till the early hours of the morning, if not 24 hours ) until 2 or 3:00 a.m.? Shouldn’t they be in bed as they have school to attend the next day?
The idea of imposing a curfew on teens has been broached and as usual there are those who support and those who are against.
My two cents worth is that parents are ultimately responsible for their off-spring, not the law makers, not the police. They should take the blame if anything goes wrong as it reflects upon the upbringing their children had. Whether it’s a single parent family or a two-parent family is irrelevant as a parent has the responsibility of nurturing the child and bringing him/her up properly, inculcating the right values from young. Above all the parents have to be role models for their children. In that way they will not short-change their children.
Saying that they are too busy making a living for their children is no excuse. Giving the youngsters expensive gifts and cash in lieu of parental time and bonding is a culpable misdemeanour and wrong thinking. These is what is creating problems in the fabric of family and society. It’s time to take a good hard look at ourselves.
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