cakap cakap... moral values or the lack of it!

Yesterday I spent the afternoon at Starbucks with a Malaysian here in Melbourne, to visit his daughter who now lives here. We met through our mutual friend, WhatsApp. He is from KL, he reads what I write, and being 65 years old, he is my generation. We have the unspoken bonds of respect and goodwill that tie us Malaysians of that vintage, to each other.

There was easy banter between us. WE were both agreed on the usual stuff. Our country is in a mess. Corrupt politicians are everywhere. A Malay should be prime minister. The Chinese want stability in government so that they can go on with the business of earning a living - and he despaired if that was even possible given the state of our nation today. I told him that WE must hope for change.

At times, it was “you” and at times it is “I”. Sometimes I said “WE” Malays, while he at times comes up with “the Chinese.” And when we are in agreement, the conspiratorial “WE” was used for are we all, not Malaysians? And yes, WE agreed that I should write in Bahasa to reach the rural Malays!

We listened to each other. We discussed and we argued. Good manners and goodwill prevailed at all times. The older generations have all that and more - honesty, integrity, discipline, respect, and loyalty mattered to us. We are not perfect, but these things matter to us.

I do not see much of this in the young of today. Are the young to be blamed for what they are now, or are parents to be held responsible for the lack of these priceless values in their children? Or, are these moral values of a time that I was from and has no place in the times that we now live in?

These days, I am told, the young do things their way. Moral values are hard to come because the self has taken over from the community. You no longer live by the adage that it takes a Kampong to bring up an individual. These days, you look after yourself. Who needs a kampong? Who requires parents?

What we see today is the result of a lack of proper parenting. When you no longer have a Kampong looking after you when you are growing up, when you are in your formative years, there are repercussions. Look around you today at the young people around you. We see crimes, drug abuse, sexual crimes, and greed. And worst of all, there is a lack of community and social activities that have played a large part in bringing Malaysians of my generation, together.

We need to bring this back.

This is what our children sadly lack. The parenting that too many children receive today misses out on these priceless values. Parents today do not spend enough time with their children, as both parents are too busy trying to put food on the table. What we see today is the result of this lack of proper parenting.

And more worrying, some young politicians seem to be missing some of these values. They will soon fall into the same kleptocratic ways of their failed predecessors if, and when, they are in power. Lose our moral values, and we will eventually lose our country to the corrupt, the thieves, the robbers, and the scammers that too many Malaysians accept as the new normal.

I am thankful that my own children have grown up far from the new normal that has taken two generations to take root in our society. Kleptocracy, kautim, names like Najib, Rosmah, Azeez, Azam Baki, and even the two Pendeks (One in KL and the other down South) are not matters that they concern themselves with. Race is what they see people do at the Olympics. Religion is about tolerance, respect for the ways of those who are different from us, and love for one another. I would have to explain what Jakim, YDPA, and who Hadi is, to my son. Lucky him.

We are now calling upon our young to do their duty to King and country. Maybe not this King, but certainly do their duty to make good what has gone wrong in our Tanah Air. Let us pray that they will have the moral values to guide them through the struggles ahead. Honesty, integrity, discipline, respect, and loyalty mattered to my generation. Pray that it will also matter to the young of today. Amen.