THE RULE OF LAW

Salam

I start my work quite early today even though technically I'm already working since 8 am yesterday morning and will continue working till 5pm later on the day. Something struck me straight when was on my way to work today and it is actually not something that is unusual in this country.

People inadvertently and consciously breaking the law without anyone care. Why? NO one will take any action to them except for a sporadic and minimal enforcement activity. Of course I'm talking about something very small that is smoking in the public area and worst more in the lobby area of a big hospital. Not only the outside people, even the staff also noted to be happily smoking in the hospital compound. Small indeed the act and it doesn't cause any harm towards anyone in the short term except for the bad smell and the strayed cigarette buds that they throw away.

It is the normal thing in the area as no one will care to give them compound or to take action even though technically there is a law that anyone need to abide. Once I ask want of a staff that has power to enforce the law why they are not doing their job. The answer is very simple: The perpetrator don't even care and worst more, they will scold them back. The worst scenario: the perpetrator will sabotage you as revenge in many ways because they know who you are and where you work. The result: The enforcer afraid of the perpetrator and the perpetrator are free to overrule the law with their discretion. Fair? Don't even start to talk about that word here.

And there are hundreds of laws that is considered small and menial that is being consistently ignored making the slogan of 'nothing is bigger or higher than law' like a filthy dirty joke. Are we talking about becoming the first class country than? That should be rethink. I would say that we need to reclassify the 3rd class country first to third class country A, B and C. Should we start from C? obviously.

When read the paper this morning, it is worst. One of the senior person in one of the political party. An ex senior minister talking about not to carry on to crack down the illegal workers and to postpone the plan for the sake of the profits of the perpetrator who give this illegal worker the job. What the heck is he talking about is incomprehensible. This are the people who suppose to support the effort but somehow he is the one who are trying to make it more comfortable for the law breaker.

Those are the things that we teach the younger generation in our country. We have tonnes of laws but the enforcement and the attitude towards the law are pathetic. Don't even mention about shariah law. It is worst than the civil. Everybody openly criticized their judgment without afraid of being reprimanded. No respect at all towards the law and the regulation.

Instead of enforcing the current law, we are always hear about new law being drafted and gazetted and the circle will only continue. The easiest escape route is, pointing fingers and blaming everything except the lawbreaker and the enforcer.

So do we think we can achieve class A with the attitude? Maybe during our great great great grandchildren if only we start now.