This photo was in the New Straits Times (Malaysia) today (13 May 2005), showing the poor boy back at work in the fields. They call him the DODGER. How ironic. Today's Editorial supported my points yesterday. Was he afforded proper representation and counselling before it got out of hand. But then again, that is the Malaysian style. What is nagging me, was he really the first. Why him? He was hardly doing 'nothing'? He was working for his family. Nothing wrong with that either. THAT IS SERVICE!!! THAT IS PATRIOTISM. THAT IS RESPONSIBILITY!! THAT IS JIHAD!!. Like this lah .. don't be too righteous. What better example can you look for. He may be wrong for what he did, more of a childish behaviour, if you ask me, quite befitting his age and surrounding. Working and helping his family was a higher priority for him ... and like I said, I am sure there could be a better way to attend to his issue than to supposedly use him as a deterrent. Go get the real DODGERS, those who don't pay taxes, dodge rules and regulations, cut corners, jump queue, don't queue and many more marvellous Malaysian behaviour.
[Photo Credit: New Straits Times Press (no name given) in the article by Lee Keng Fatt]
You are right, we share the view with different approach.