The Blood On Our Hands
For some reason, we believe in the illusion that stiffer penalty alone will deter would-be criminals. In our society, mistakes must be punished, preferably severely, without ever finding out why a crime is committed in the first place.
By Hazrul D. Nizam (myargumentum.blogspot.com)
When cases of abandoned infants emerged in March this year, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Tan Sri Musa Hassan said, “The Malays, especially, are fond of looking down on those who get pregnant out of wedlock. This should not be the case as a mistake has already been done. Instead of condemning, they should help them.” (Source: The New Strait Times)
Say what you want about the IGP but his comment then was spot on. I must hastily add though, this tendency of looking down on those who get pregnant out of wedlock is not unique to Malay Muslim community. Judging from the responses to the recent cases of abandoned infants, I can safely say Malaysians generally do share similar position on this issue.
As with other ‘cruel’ and inhumane’ acts (note the death penalty suggested for child rapists), most of us respond by suggesting stiffer punishment to arrest the ever rising cases of abandoned infants. Question is, why is punishment the only solution in our society? For some reason, we believe in the illusion that stiffer penalty alone will deter would-be criminals. In our society, mistakes must be punished, preferably severely, without ever finding out why a crime is committed in the first place. It seems like we collectively decide to airbrush the reality and challenges of modern life and put in place an alternative version where people live a perfect life, make good decisions and share identical moral standards.
Trouble is, Malaysia is not utopia. People make mistakes. So, what are the solutions?
Well, for a start, people need to understand that condemning does not help. Then the relevant government agencies should work with NGOs and the community to come up with a comprehensive plan to curb the rise of abandoned babies. The education side must also be looked into. Do our students have sufficient knowledge about sex, STDs, pregnancies and related issues? How about sex education, then? Do we, as a community, have enough facilities that offer counseling and help to unwed mothers? It reflects badly on our society that a pregnant girl thinks throwing the baby into the river is the best option to handle a completely manageable situation. The baby may be illegitimate in the eyes of many, but one life lost is one too many.
Read more at: http://myargumentum.blogspot.com/2010/08/blood-on-our-hands.html
