I agree with the suggestion. Sometimes coming back home late, I notice kids cycling in groups and I wonder what are they doing out of their homes at late night. I see kids hanging out near 7-11 shops, burger stall, along the roadside, near monsoon drains, at bus stops. Where are the parents or guardian? Are these street kids? Or lack attention from parents? Or rebellious? Or bored at home? (I remember reading about Mat Sikal in Malacca recently).

Well, even if you have a valid reason – like coming back from tuition class – its still better to have guardian to fetch you or accompany you.

Of course, this won’t reduce crime rates drastically, but I believe it will help in deterring increase in social ills and crimes. Crime happens all the time, yes, but having our kids safely indoors by certain time reduces their possibility of being involved in criminal activities or accidents.  It goes without saying that you need someone at home to keep an eye. If not, the crime can happen at home! In other words, the parents or guardian need to be constantly monitoring their brood, which in our currently lifestyle and economic pressure, is difficult.

This reflects the kind of place we are living in – a dangerous place. Safety is a big concern due to organised crimes, gangsterism, foreigners, local folks aiming for a fast buck, drug addicts, snatch thieves, rapists, molesters, acid splashers, straying husbands (and wives who caused it, according to OWC – OK, I’m straying off-topic here) etc.

The curfew would be similar with the current practice of hauling up students loitering in cybercafe or shopping centers during school time.

Question is, do have enough enforcement capability? Most of the time the police busy manning roadblocks, or breaking up protests or helping out at by-elections.  Rela? Not sure if can trust them fully with children and teenagers. Perhaps Jabatan Kebajikan should set up a new division for this purpose. Or mobilise Rukun Tetangga, mosque/temple/church committees, RAs to be “enforcers”.

Kalabakan MP Ghapur Salleh wants the federal government to impose a curfew on teenagers under 18 for their own safety.

He said that teenagers under 18 years should be banned from hanging out in public places after 10pm without parental guidance.

He said that it would help reduce crimes and social ills.

“I have already tabled the proposal in Parliament but I have not received a definitive answer yet,” he said.

Expressing his concerns over the current lifestyles of teenagers, he said the high numbers of those caught for crimes and social ills was worrying.

“Banning teenagers from loitering outside their homes after 10pm would be helpful.

“Our country has no monitoring system to prohibit teenagers from going out at night. Introducing a curfew system will help curb social ills.”

Educating parents

Ghapur cited Australia which had successfully introduced the curfew system banning teenagers, aged 13 to 16, from leaving their homes without being accompanied by their parents.

Teenagers found flouting the rule, introduced in the early 2000s, are hauled up by the police and taken to the station. They would only be released when their parents come to fetch them.

The Australian government has said the move was aimed at countering the increasing number of teenagers who were found “drinking, using drugs and sniffing glue”.

A similar order was also issued in Thailand in 2007. Bangkok’s metropolitan police reportedly issued a directive prohibiting children under 18 from leaving their homes after 10pm without justified reasons.

The ban was aimed at preventing youths from hanging out at night and committing crime or becoming crime victims.

Teenagers caught hanging out at night in Bangkok without valid reasons would be taken to the police stations where their statements would be recorded. Their parents would be called to pick them up.

Ghapur, however, felt that the Australian system was sufficient to educate parents and control the teenagers.

“I believe we need a system like the one in Australia… it will help educate parents to be more sensitive.

“Teenagers who are brought to the police station would only be released once their parents come,” he said, adding that parents must be alert to their children’s movement.

Frightening reality

In August last year, an online report quoted Bukit Aman CID chief Bakri Zinin as saying that in 2009, police recorded 6,048 juvenile criminal cases compared with 5,114 in 2007.

Staggering still was the fact that 208 rapes cases and six murders were committed by teenagers between 13 and 15 years old.

Teenagers, aged between 16 and 18, committed 616 rapes and 47 murders, according to the statistics, and these numbers are known to be just the tip of the iceberg.

Social workers note that many incidents of rape go unreported in Malaysia for fear of the perpetrators.

Many also believe that delinquencies begin at school in the form of truancy, smoking and vandalism.

source: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2011/06/04/slap-curfew-on-teenagers-to-keep-them-safe/

I guess Sarawak state elections and a certain video clip take a back seat to the recent death of Customs officer, an assistant director in Selangor,  Ahmad Sarbani, aged 56. He died at MACC office in KL, which immediately became a political issue, plus emotional issue for some quarters like Customs officers, and economic issue for businesses.  MACC is still grappling with inquiry on Teoh Beng Hock death 2 years ago, and now hit with this latest death.

There are many stories going around, and its hard to identify the correct information on the death of Ahmad Sarbani.

Did the deceased get a call asking him to go to the MACC office? This can be verified.  If yes, then the story takes a major turn. If not, then one wonders why the deceased went to MACC. Perhaps to provide evidence? revise previous statement? discuss with the officer?

People in stressed condition can do many things. A quiet person can turn into murderer even.  However, regardless of he deceased being a good guy or bad guy, the death should have not occurred. If he had come to the office under invitation (as witness), then what does MACC SOP says on handling witnesses? If he came in on his own as a visitor, again what does the SOP say? Is MACC at fault? Are there some black sheep in MACC?

Some quote the person as being religious, but for me that’s secondary. Nowadays religion is just a procedural thing. Yes, you may pray 5 times a day and so on, but can also be a veil for your alternate persona. Do you notice when the accused go to courts, they wear songkok/tudung or put large vibuthi etc? Want to show that they are alim to the judge. Perception management.

Anyway, the deceased came to MACC on a normal bike (seen in Malay Mail article), and that’s doesn’t sound like luxurious lifestyle. An investigation can reveal the financial standing of the deceased, to verify his innocence.

The deceased also received support from the freight forwarding agents. They protested and said he was a nice guy, hardworking, always help them out etc. Interesting indeed. We seldom see customers or clients protest for a worker, but here it is. He must have been one dedicated staff, and certainly a loss for the department.

Let’s look at the possibilities of the death (hope I didn’t miss out any):

• the deceased could have jumped out of the window voluntarily
• verbally threatened/blackmailed into jumping out
• could have been physically pushed out of the window
• has been hypnotised into jumping out of the window due to black magic (don’t laugh!)
• medical problem and accidentally fell out of the window in a spell of dizziness or heart attack etc. (depends on window height and position, but from what I see, the window is too small)

The deceased was in a room on the 3rd floor, and was found dead on the badminton court at 1st floor, a distance of 2 floors.

The police need to investigate, and it won’t be easy. I suspect the case is much much bigger than the death. We are talking about billions of ringgits of under-/undeclared taxes which brings illicit revenue to various groups.  What would you do if you income is suddenly threatened?

The current operation by MACC on enforcement agencies may be hard to stomach for some, but it must go on. We read today that 8 Immigration officers were brought to trial for corruption charges. Not sure how the death with affect MACC’s investigation on Customs Department.

I think all those involved in enforcement agencies must be rotated every year including the top bosses. Also, their asset declaration must be made frequently and must be followed up with investigation or audit. And, as public/citizen, we should report to authorities if we find that our neighbors/relatives etc. who are working in enforcement agencies  seem to be living beyond their means. If you are an employee earning few thousand ringgit per month with 5 mouths to feed, is it possible to have few houses  in strategic location and 2 expensive cars? Tepuk dada tanya selera.

Regardless of how we look at it, a family has lost a husband and father.  Life won’t be same for them again.  We can only hope that the death is investigated and those found guilty punished.