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11/17/2010
Caught off guard again?
There were no crimes in my ward, or at least until yesterday. The men in blue launched a big operation and netting about 50 gangsters. Now the ministry is talking about studying, reviewing and revamping the criminal laws against teens and gangsters.
At least something good comes out from the recent spate of gangsterism. Everyone suddenly found that they have work to do. But it would be better if they were more proactive and nipped the problem in the bud before it exploded in the face. Maybe the word 'proactive' has long been thrown into the longkangs.
So, arresting 50 or 60 gangsters is enough? No more gangsters in the street? Low crime doesn't mean no crimes. A little crime is unavoidable and can be lived with? Is there a need to fester out all the vermins once and for all? What about the bigger animals? Just like the loan sharks, we are seeing only the little dogs and cats being caught. The big ones are so elusive and impossible to be caught.
Cutting the lallangs without pulling out the roots will only see it grow again.
Thank you for staying on with my favourite subject.
ReplyDeleteCrime, punishment and law enforcemnt in Singapore.
A commenter in one of the blogs really perked me up. He said that in Singapore nowadays, we are now headless chickens running around after the fact. Only when something goes wrong do we take effective action. Now, understanding youth gangs and cracking their heads on how to deal with this problem is the rage. We would have been happier if they would have anticipated the problem, been proactive and nip it in the bud before someone has to die or suffer serious injurious.
An interview with a teacher who taught physics to one of the hoods (see page B2 of The Straights Times, home section) is telling.
How a school can tolerate a misfit who almost lorded over it is unbelievable. This piece of shit not only terrorized the school and its students, he even knifed a fellow student's father sending the poor chap seriously wounded to hospital. In the words of the teacher, "If you ask me, the school could have been stricter with him and given him a clear message that it would not tolerate his behaviour."
Obviously, the school failed and the people who managed this school must be brought to account. The hatching of the murder that took place probably germinated here because this hood thought that he was above the law. And the operations manager was an ex police officer!
Once identified as a bad influence, a gangster and an uncontrollable student, he should have been expelled and sent to a Boys Home. Instead, the school tolerated him, even possibly turning a blind eye to his criminal activities!
Low crime do not mean no crime. Yes, but with a little more planning, effort and strict enforcement, we can have much fewer crime.
It may be easy to blame schools for failure to take control of students and prevent them from going astray.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I have come across teachers trying to discipline students and had to face the wrath of parents and the Ministry of Education. Ever wonder why so many teachers left the teaching profession every year?
What about the role of parents? It certainly is more than just bringing the child into this world and provide him/her with food, clothing, handphones etc.
Parents are also required to discipline their children, not pushing the responsibility to the teachers and schools.
If parents want teachers and the schools to discipline their kids, give them breathing space to do their job, as in the fifties and sixties. Even then, they should not expect teachers alone to teach their kids discipline while they shirk their responsibilities. Both should work together, not trying to undermine each other when things go wrong.
Do you know why there is a perception that teachers, SAF officers and civil servants are so afraid of parents nowadsys?
Whenever things go wrong parents will threaten to call 'Shin Min Daily News' to publicise their case. All the accusations, true or untrue will be splashed all over the front pages.
Anything to ensure that my favourite hotel is peaceful and safe is generally fine by me.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest organised criminal gang is the state. They can imposed whatever law they want and extract as much extortion as they want for any reason. Therefore it is in their best interests to put down any small-time thuggery, and give "value for money" for the "protection money" extorted from the good citizenry.
No big gang worth its salt will ever let a bunch of wannabe "Good Fellas" attempt to secure "territory" and extract "tribute" from the property and territory of the big gang.
P.S. If you believe that it is the govt's job and the role of the state to "educate" your children, then you have already made a false premise and all your arguments which follow are therefore flawed.
ReplyDeleteAny institution which strips the individuality from children and moulds them into becoming serfs primarily to serve their corporate and political masters is only a few steps away from being described as "institutionalized child abuse".
Sadly (actually not so sad -- there' a funny side too) too many people trust the govt with developing their childs' minds.
The principal and all the teachers in the school mentioned by Wally should be sacked. It is capitulation to the last letter. How could a school with all the adults, with police officers, failed to deal with a boy gangster and had to appease or adapt to his violence? It is a shame to know that we have such teachers and principal.
ReplyDeleteOn the positive side, parents who want their children to grow up as individuals, with their personality intact and not robbed by the system, this is the school to send their children to. The children will grow up and be what they are, independent, maybe a bit rebellious, maybe a gangster, but an individual, born and bred.
The principal and teachers are most understanding and tolerant of wayward kids. They may be hoping for a world champion boxer in the making.
So parents can have their choice.