Answer: When the Enforcers behave like Asses!
Take this case of the
NS dodger jailed,
splashed the NST page 1 headline today, with subhead
First to be penalised and he was working to support his family. Highlighted also on the frontpage was a picture of the youth in handcuffs, not a fate you would want any young Malaysian to be in for such an "incident" not of his choice, and definitely not within his means to avoid.
Ahmad Harizal Ahmad Fauzie, 18 years old, yesterday became the first National Service shirker to be sentenced to jail, for 14 days, becasue he was too poor to pay the RM600 fine imposed by the magistrate! He had skipped the three-month-long compulsory programme to help his family make ends meet.
The RM30 he earned daily helped supplement his mother's meagre RM150 a month wages as a dishwasher, and on the day Ahmad Harizal went to court to face his fate, he had asked his Mum for RM7. "I only knew he had been sent to jail when a policeman came to my workplace and informed me," was the mother's lament.
Magistrate Wan Norzainuar Wan Ahmad, according to the NST report, said the punishment should be regarded as a lesson to other trainees not to take the NS training lightly.
Desiderata: Did the enforcement officers check Ahmad Harizal's background, and find out any "extenuating" circumstances before taking him to court?
Is it any consoltaion for the youth to taste a night stay in Jail before several parties, including the Perlis Menteri Besar, offered to pay the RM600 fine?
Could not the magistrate, instead of giving out formal advice, exercise some humane milk of kindness to suspend the sentence for a little time for the lad to raise the RM600?
Do enforcement officers of the law have a human heart?
Do we as fellow Malaysians,better economically placed, have compassion for the less fortunate in society? What's this law if, especially when this young man has his Family First right at the top of his priorities, you don't even weigh with a caring heart?
Hey, God gave us each a unique and beautiful mind -- Let's not make an Ass of the Law with Ass-like Enforcement!
2 comments:
Some of these enforcement people are out to prove a point. They wanted to be seen as impartial and transparent but I guess this case backfired and made them looks like fools. I am sure the young kid is now a kampung hero and the enforcement officer is now trying to bury his face somewhere. This reminds me of an old lady from China who was to be deported from Australia for overstaying for many years. The Immigration Minister used her power to overturn the court ruling and allowed her to stay on compassionate and humanitarian grounds. It was a real touching and civil decision. I hope one day our people in high places are able to reach this level of thinking and maturity. I think we still have a long way to go.
Hi SH:
So true -- we're still a long way off, and these people who have eyes but do not see -- they are not helping the country's Vision of becoming a developed nation standing tall, esp with a civil society. This young lad sacrificed for Family, and it is this institution that must stand tall in a civil society. I salute the youngman's stand -- I hope he's not too traumatised by it all.
Let's be humble -- yes, learn the good lessons from our neighbours, be it Singapore, Aussie land or NZ, maybe even Tibet -- as and when they have stories of the gracious hearts (esp of high officiials) to share.
Thanks again SH, gather your friends and perhaps make an official protest for "uncaring" enforcers! (I'm sure Pak Lah with his Islamic foundation, would not want to see such injustices...)
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