Children's interests must come first.

Yesterday, I saw a news item that reminded me of the days when I was a disciplinarian in a school well known for gangsterism.

First, let me tell you about the article in the news. The heading was: 'Year One student’s testicles slashed over 50 sen.'

Apparently, 'a year one bully slashed his classmate’s private part with a blade because he was not satisfied with the 50 sen he got from his victim.'Would you believe that? This kid could have been watching too many gangster movies.

The victim was punched in the face. Then the bully ran to their class in a school in Alor Star, followed by the victim who was worried about his pencil case, to search for money in the victim's pencil case.Finding no money, the bully searched the victim's pocket where he found fifty sen. Perhaps frustrated with the small amount, the bully slashed the boy's testicles.

At the still tender age of seven years, this bully certainly have been neglected by his parents and learned his values from undesirable sources. How is it possible that parents can do such a poor job of parenting to have such a young boy resort to such criminal tactics at that age?

Yes, I believe it is neglect that had taken this bully to this criminal act. From my experience, such a child is usually the result of divorce, separation, single parenting or left to the care of guardians who could be grandparents who are either too weak or old to do much for the child.

When it comes to divorce, separation or single parenting, the child is cared for by only one parent who is most probably working throughout the day to financially support himself/herself and the children. Too tired to do much, the children are usually left to themselves, to cope as well as they can.

Of course, there are single parents who manage very well and bring up their children with all the love and care possible. Children of such a parent can tell us with pride of how much their parents have done for them. Weaknesses there could be, but children in such circumstances understand what the parent is doing for them through whatever little bonding they recieved each day.

However, sometimes even when two parents are around, a child can still be neglected. Well, there are parents addicted to gambling, whose children do not see them throughout most of the day.

Then, there are parents who think more of riches than children. I had a case of a neglected child whose parents had left their children with the frail, old grandparents while they lived in Singapore to earn better pay. Is their financial situation so bad that they need to go so far to earn that better pay? And sacrifice the children?

Whatever it is, be it right or wrong, parents must always have their childrens interests given first priority for they did not asked to be brought into our world. Through our actions, we brought them here.