By LYNCH COWAN
KUCHING: A collective effort from all sectors is urgently needed to nurture good family values among the youths amid rapid modernisation and changes in lifestyle.
Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) Vice President, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye stressed this in his press statement yesterday. He pointed out that nurturing good family values among the youths was a major challenge today.
“As our society has becomes more affluent, ethics and morality under threat. They are on most occasions not given due emphasis and only take a back seat.
“Failure to give due recognition to noble values and morality issues has contributed significantly to social disequilibrium and has led to the emergence of many of our social problems.
“Social development based on noble values can minimize social problems and at the same time can be more beneficial in national development,” he said.
Lee added that national development must be attained through strong family institutions to produce youths who were our future flag bearers.
“They are our national assets and can help shape the future destiny of our nation. The country’s technological progress and economic growth should not cloud our minds towards the importance of checking the degradation of moral and ethical values.
“While our nation is poised for further growth, it is also essential for our national leaders to focus on the moral and ethical dimension which is an important ingredient to the attainment of nation building
“We as the Malaysian people should be more industrialised nation not only in the economic sense but also to ensure it is fully developed from all dimensions, particularly from the moral, ethical and caring aspects,” he stressed.
Lee pointed out that civilisation and progress were not to be measured only by the gross national product and technological capacity but also by the development of the human conscience and its response when faced by the facts of human suffering and denial of human needs.
“A caring society reflects a vision of a nation, which recognises that all its members are entitled to protection for their personal, physical and psychological needs”
“Also, a caring society, in my view, is the one which attaches great importance to the development of the human being – who is imbued with compassion, understanding, a sense of justice and a generous attitude”
“While it is essential to strive for a caring society, it must be emphasised here that such a society must be developed and fostered not only for the purpose of our nation building but for the sake of the poor, the needy and the less fortunate who are found in every society however affluent and progressive it may be.”
The progress and maturity of a society, he added, was not measured by GDP ringgit and technological wizardry alone, but also by its sense of responsibility, spirit of generosity and the importance it places on the dignity and well-being of its less fortunate members.
“While it is gratifying to note that by and large, Malaysians are generous, I feel more could be done by the affluent to help the poor and the less fortunate out of their concern for their fellow men”
“More could and should be done by the more fortunate Malaysians either individually or collectively to help build a caring culture and a caring society so vital for the attainment of a united and harmonious nation.”
Lee also felt that there was a need for enduring caring culture and efforts to have in each Malaysian a caring attitude, a feeling for humanity, the poor and the needy and a care for the less fortunate.
“The spontaneous outpouring of sympathy and offers of practical help by the public in response to several tragedies in the country and abroad involving human lives; the continuing financial support given to charitable causes as well as the expressions of concern for victims and disgust shown towards perpetrators of sexual and physical abuse are ample evidence of the caring attitude of Malaysians.
“Our caring efforts should be intensified in the days ahead and steps must be taken further instil in the young a sense of being caring and concerned for our needy fellow human beings.
“The need for a concerned and caring society is even more essential in view of the many social problems plaguing our society.”
Good moral and ethical values must therefore be given the highest priority in all programmes to train and build our youths for character and nation building, he stressed.
