RESEARCH conducted by the Institute of Youth Research (IYRES) Malaysia Youth Data Bank System cited by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has revealed that 16,566 youths aged 16 to 18 were involved and arrested in index crimes throughout Malaysia including theft, murder, rape and armed robbery from 2018 to 2022.
Similarly, according to MACC statistics, civil servants in their 40s and below constituted 57.8% out of 5652 people arrested between 2007 to 2022 for corruption related offences.
These statistics, said Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) president Dr Muhammad Mohan, are an indication that the decay of basic moral and ethical values among our youth is serious and that parents are not setting a good example for such values.
Muhammad said this in light of the tragic death of two bike-riding teenagers who collided with each other while performing stunts along the Jalan Elmina Business Park in Sungai Buloh, Selangor on Aug 15.
“This unfortunate incident underscores the failure of parents to monitor their children’s movement, habits and activities,” he said in a statement.
“We fully support the statement made by Sungai Buloh police chief Supt Mohd Hafiz Muhammad Nor, who called out to parents and guardians to be more responsible in monitoring their children, particularly minors.”
According to Muhammad, the police chief also announced to charge the parents of the victims under Section 39 of the Road Transport Act 1987 and Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, which are meant to ensure children are protected and not exposed to unnecessary danger.
“TI-M often highlights the nexus between the perceived integrity crisis among the youth as well as the basic moral and ethical value system in our society.
“Today, we see that this value system amongst the youth is diminishing,” he said.
As such, Muhammad called for parents to devote more time to inculcate good moral and ethical values at home while their children are young and to monitor their progress as they grow, adding that parents should not expect schoolteachers or the universities alone to teach these values.
“More importantly, since moral values are ‘caught’ rather than ‘taught’, parents themselves need to be exemplary in upholding integrity and ethical standards, especially when the children are at an impressionable age,” he noted.
“It would be too late to make such corrections when they reach adulthood, as proven by MACC and IYRES research statistics.
“Let us embrace the truth that not only ‘charity’, but also ‘integrity’ begins at home.”
FMT further reported Mohd Hafiz as saying that there has been a drastic rise in illegal racing in Sungai Buloh this year, with 11 related deaths reported since the start of the year.
In comparison, he said there were only three deaths from such activities for the whole of last year.
Mohd Hafiz further urged parents to be more alert to their children’s whereabouts, especially at night, as illegal racing threatens their children’s lives and that of other road users.
He said underage motorcyclists as well as their legal guardians, including parents, can be charged under Section 39 of the Road Transport Act with driving a vehicle without a licence.
If convicted, they will face a maximum RM2,000 fine, or up to six months in prison, or both.
Parents can also be charged under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act with neglect and exposing their child to danger. If convicted, they face a maximum RM50,000 fine, or 20 years in jail, or both, he added. – Aug 22, 2024
Main image: PaulTan.org
