Read in the Star (and in other dailies as well) that the National Service dodger Ahmad Harizal Ahmad Fauzi has left home to learn new skills. He has accepted an offer to take up a four-month building course in Kedah. According to the papers too, he stopped schooling at Form 2. He would also be given a RM45 during his training at the academy and the ABM chief operating officer said that the boy would be given a job after he completes his course and COULD be earning as much as RM1000 a month compared to his current RM300-400 of working in the fields. Something is STILL bugging me. So many things not right about the whole episode .. so I'll just pen a few more words. It is the whole PRINCIPLE of it.
No.1 - Rightly or wrongly, he was hauled up because of the NS. Makes you wonder!! He stopped schooling at Form Two. THAT was not a point of bother but not attending the NS was. Hmmmm .. so you can stop schooling (he WAS working to support the family, mind you, bukan dok lepak macam anak orang kaya), stop getting education but you must go to the NS. ooooook ..
No. 2 - After the whole episode of being fined and jailed and someone paying for the fine, he has been given a place at the Akademi Binaan Malaysia, with an entry qualification of Form Two. Is this the entry point for other candidates? I don't know.
No. 3 - We are assuming, or we assume or decided that he needed a skill ... and hence ABM.
No. 4 - Now that he is away at ABM, there is no one to help in the paddy fields, or maybe the mother has hired some help.. of course this is pure speculation on my part .. but this is what goes through my mind, even if I don't Blog.
No. 5 - Had he not been hauled up, he would still be in the paddy fields with a Form Two qualification.
So, any other boy (or girl for that matter) that has NOT been hauled up and left school early, would still be doing what they are doing now. No one is going to offer them any special training and give them a monthly allowance. THAT IS WHAT IS BUGGING ME!
We are always reactive in an knee-jerk reaction and there are no long term efforts to address the likes of Ahmad Harizal. Just because he caused a nation-wide stir, he got the public's attention, naturally. But what about those is the same situation??
Remember that girl with no legs (a few weeks ago, tak ingat dah nama dia and dari mana) who was going to stop schooling because what was PROMISED to her did not materialise?. If it was not highlighted in the newspaper, she would have just stopped schooling and just remain at home helping her mother. After the exposure in the news, THEN only ada reaction. For the next few days, you get bet there will news about her (which there was!!) and after that, everything is back to normal. Must we be like this? Then again what about those who did not get public attention? There must be a better way to address the BIGGER picture, after all we are talking about the YOUTH of the nation, those future leaders and citizens that will govern OUR children. We are not going to live forever. Aiyaa, tak tau lah ...
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