2007 07: Give juveniles a second chance

The Star Online. Opinion. Sunday July 15, 2007

IT IS heartening indeed to know that the judiciary and laws of this country have not abandoned juvenile criminals and delinquents like so many countries in the West have done.

In a time when our children are increasingly being victimised and brutalised by monsters masquerading amongst us as human beings, the last thing we need is for the system and the law that has vowed to protect them to victimise and turn on them instead.

I laud the move by the Court of Appeals to rule that it is “unconstitutional” to hold a minor at the King’s pleasure for whatever crimes the minor had committed.

Although I may not be well versed in legal jargon, I firmly believe that holding a minor at the pleasure of the King infringes upon the child’s rights and is not the best possible way to rehabilitate and counsel the minor involved.

Even though the child has committed a heinous crime, the said child still has every right to be given the chance to redeem himself, and be given the chance to pick up the pieces of his life rather than be locked away in a prison, in the company of the worst possible criminals on earth.

There’s no doubt the child would probably be isolated from adult criminals, but just think about the repercussions on the child’s mental state when he is imprisoned in such an environment.

I have followed this boy’s case since it was first reported in 2002, and my heart goes out to him. Even though I am shocked by his actions, I am convinced it was the result of years of pent-up frustration, anger and emotions that was too much for a child to cope.

It still does not absolve him of the crime, but what he needs is not punishment, but intensive rehabilitation and counselling, and in this case, house arrest would have been a fitting solution.

The child needs someone to talk to, someone who can understand him, someone who can be there for him in his darkest hour, and I am glad to see that his parents have not cast him off like many parents of juvenile criminals are so wont to do.

There is hope yet for our juvenile delinquents in prison and reform schools throughout the country. We must learn and be willing to understand why a child commits a crime and must teach him to understand why it is wrong.

Five years in Kajang Prison is more than what a child at his age could bear. He deserves a second chance, like all of us do when we make mistakes.

Let’s give this child and other minors out there a chance to lead normal lives once they have put the past behind them and have truly been reformed.

PHILIPP C.K. GAN,
Petaling Jaya.

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Juveniles are no longer naive
The Star Online. Opinion. Tuesday July 17, 2007

I DISAGREE with Philipp C.K. Gan – Give juveniles a second chance (The Star, July 15). In his letter Gan wants juveniles committing serious offences to be given a chance.

I have no problem with that. By granting a second chance to the juveniles, we are giving them a glimpse of hope of a future.

However, we must never deny that a 12-year-old child who has committed such a heinous act must be seen as not innocent.

What guarantee can anyone give that he would not become more monstrous?

What assurance can Gan give that after much “intensive rehabilitation and counselling” this juvenile will not stab another person the moment he is mocked and teased for being fat or ugly?
Our courts of law must not only base their judgments on the age factor, but also the crime committed. With the advances in technology, our juveniles are no longer stupid and naive, but a bunch of people with unimaginable intelligence.

SYED MOHAZRI SYED HAZARI AL-QADRY,Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan.

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