Laws must be made to protect someone. Yet, ....

It was last year, I think, I read from the Star newspaper that those in possession of certain species of animals have to report to the wildlife department and request for special permission to keep them.

As an animal and fish lover, I have kept at one time or another canaries, budgerigars, pigeons, rabbits, chickens, geese, turkeys, ducks and various kinds of fish such as the angel-fish, goldfish, zebra fish, discus fish, bettas and many others, always caring for them and breeding them when they matured.

At the time when I read the news report regarding having to request for special permission to keep certain species, I have in my possession two Star Tortoise which I have kept for about eight years since my retirement as a teacher and four pig-nosed turtles which i have reared for more than two years. And according to the news report they were the ones requiring special permission to keep.

Well, I certainly would want to keep them as I love those tortoises and turtles. They are so cute and beautiful. So, with a sincere desire to do my part for them, I approached the wildilfe department in Sungai Petani. I was told there was no such instructions and that I could leave my address behind so that should anything crop up they could inform me. I was wary of that, it was true. So I told them I would be back another time.

Then, early this year the same report appeared in the Star again and I approached the same wildlife department and this time they told me they were conscious of the matter and I was given a faxed form from the Alor Star department. I filled up the form and posted it. An acknowledgement letter dated 29 April 2010 was received.
However, when the special permit came, I was shocked and disappointed that I was given permission only to keep the pig-nosed turtle but not the Star Tortoise.

So, I immediately sent an appeal to the department to be allowed to keep my two beloved Star Tortoises, a pair of two beautiful pets I have loved and cared for for eight long years. In my letter of appeal I request that my application to keep them ought to be given consideration as I have kept them since they were the size of fifty-cent coins. Furthermore, as any wildlife officer would have realised, animals kept for so long by humans cannot survive in the wild as they have been fed special food that cannot be found in the wild. To return them to the wild is to send them to their death. Certainly that is not the intention of those people who thought of laws to protect those in the wild. So, they need special care which I believe I am capable of providing as proved by their good growth. In fact, I am very confident that soon they would be breeding. In doing so I would be ensuring that the species would not threatened with extinction.

The lady officer in the wildlife department was sympathetic to my cause and even wnet the extra mile to have my appeal reach the main department before the date when the law would come into effect.

Then, in July, another lady officer rang me and inform me that a letter was being prepared to be sent to me to inform me that the appeal cannot be considered. Apparently, despite all my reasoning with her, she could not change her decision. When I talked of the possibility of breeding those Star Tortoise, she even told me breeding would also be an offence. I told her breeding among animals is a natural process which no law can consider an offence. Thus, I ended the conversation with my request for the letter so that I could appeal through the press and possibly ambassador or government of India, as I was also told that the Indian government had insisted that all Star Tortoises be sent back to it. Anyway, unless and until I am sure my Star Tortoises would not face misery and death, I intend to care for them as I love my pets. Anyway, I have talked to some people regarding this matter and they agreed that whatever law which comes into effect should not penalise those who have already been rearing those animals which had been bought legally.

Talking about legality, I was even told by the lady that back then in 2002, those Star Tortoise had been smuggled in and so I was supposed to be keeping smuggled goods. Oh my gosh! If those Star Tortoises were smuggled animals, why were we never informed then or earlier. I read widely and nowhere did I come across such information. And those pets were sold openly in almost every pet shop in the country. It is only this year that i was told by one shop that its Star Tortoise was not for sale, only for show as they are not allowed to sell. In my mind I was thinking if I was keeping smuggled goods, who had abetted this innocent culprit?

And with that, one question lingered at the back of my mind. Should not those who have bought the animals earlier be given a special permit, just like we give permits for keeping our endangered 'Murai Hutan'?

I am still waiting for my letter from the department so that I can reach out to the higher authorities to be allowed to keep my pets. After all, this is the least I can do for my beloved pets, certainly not just giving them to someone unsure of ensuring their health and safety. This is my responsibility.

Furthermore, whose interest would the law be protecting if it removes the ones supposed to be protected from its present safe surroundings and care to a more precarious and uncertain future?

Give them responsibilities.

Not everybody is born responsible. People feel responsible for something due to a number of factors. That sense of responsibility comes due to having to be in charge of things, sometimes brought on by circumstance beyond our control. However not everything is not within our control. Training children is within parents' if not other adults' control.

Some children mature earlier as a result of being the first child in the family. Being the first child, he or she may have to be in charge of the other younger siblings. When parents are too busy, they place the eldest in charge and expect that one to look after the others, being scolded or punished when things go wrong. Of course, it could also go the other way with the eldest rebelling against having to be responsible for the others. But, more often than not, they realise the job had to be done and he is the chosen one.

Being chosen to be responsible does not merely involve looking after siblings but also preparing food and keeping the place or home tidy if both parents need to work to get more income and someone else have to look into meals for the others as well as the parents when they return. Sometimes circumstances are such that that is the only alternative for the family to survive. That type of responsibility leaves a permanent imprint on the young mind and that child benefits not only as being more responsible but also better management with time as well as money for such a child has to mange with a minimum sum of money and time not just for home but also for schooling.

However, such teaching methods are not available to everyone as the rich or well-to-do would never have to go through such experience or learning as it is certainly not neccessary. However, that does not mean that a child from a rich family is deprived of the opportunity to be responsible. Here, the parents have to play the part of early teachers by letting children be responsible for their own things such as their toys and later their books. Getting children to keep their toys and be rewarded with something the child likes is one of the first step towards responsibility for his or her own things. Even though the child may have a maid to do it for him or her, get the child to do it as a lesson towards better responsibility.

Then, when the children have books of their own, get the children to keep the books in their proper place even though they cannot do it neatly. Parents ought not to use the excuse that the child cannot put the books back neatly to get the maid or themselves to do it. And if the first few tries, parents cannot get the child to do it, the parent should use every opportunity available to encourage the child to be responsible with his/her things. After all, as most parents would have realised, they have to go back again and again to the same exercises in responsibility as long as the child is still with them even to the stage passed his/her teens. Never should the parent have to say 'How many times have I told you to.........'. So what? Has the job been completed satisfactorily. Is it right to give up on a child you so love? His/Her future depends upon you and your teaching him/her the right way to do things.

Is it too difficult to give them the chance to practise responsibility. You know, even teachers have sometimes tried to help children be more responsible. Let me tell you a true story.

There was this boy who would quarrel and make noise in class most of the time. Apparently, his behaviour developed from his home environment, with member of the family quarrelsome and noisy. The class teacher knew of his behaviour and felt desperate about having such well-known problem kid in her class. Knowing that this problem child rebelled against authorities, prefect and monitors, she decided that she had to try to change the child's behaviour. So, after the first day, she called the child to the teachers' common-room where the teacher had a talk with the child, asking him whether what he had heard about him was true. Of course, he denied its truth and said that the others were not fair to him and demanded to know why others should try and blacklist him like that. At that the teacher told him she was giving him a chance to be responsible to himself and show the others that he was not exactly what they claimed he was. So, one way to prove to the world that he was not only good but responsible as well was to become her class monitor. The teacher solemnly told him she was putting herself in a position which could bring all kinds of accusations if he does not prove to be the good guy he was. With that he was made the class-monitor. You know, with his reputation, few of the children wanted any problems with him, so they were well behaved. And perhaps realising that his position in class give him a kind of prestige, he did it well, changing his image as the days, weeks and months went by. It could be gratefulness on his part to the teacher who gave him the opportunity to change and be more responsible or it could be, he had always known that quarrelsome and noisy had not done nim any good and when the chance to change came, he grabbed it and made full use of it. Whatever it is, if teachers can care enough for a child every detested, why can't parents do a more sustaining job and try till death do they part.

After all the child is brought into this world by us. If there is love for that child then we must do our utmost to ensure he has the best chance possible at life.

We need to have a positive attitude and be responsible.

"Caring for those parents who brought me up is my responsibility," claims one guy. "As for the others, why do I care?"

While it is true that nobody can force anyone to be responsible for anything, we ought to think of the consequences of our actions. According to me, everything that concerns this world is also our responsibility. Of course, we can only do so much, given our limited resources, our limited time and our limited energy. However, that is not an excuse not to do anything at all.

Just as our wise Confuscius said,"A journey of a thousand miles begin with one step." Thus, with one step forward, there can be a second and a third step to follow and soon the thousand miles or kilometers are covered. Similarly, every endeavour begins with each of us doing whatever we can for anything in and around our environment. Whatever good deed a person does today will be imitated and followed with another by another person.

I remember a time when my parents and I lived in a house in Caunter Hall, now known as Jalan P. Ramlee, in Penang. It was then some kind of Chinese village. There was one night some burglars tried to pry open the window of one of the houses. A neighbour saw the robber, took out his tin-can and started hitting it with a stick. The sound awaken the other neighbours and they too did the same thing with their sticks and metal containers, thus causing sufficient noise to frighten off the robbers. Now, if that neighbour who took the trouble to make a din to awaken everyone did not think it any of his business to be responsible for the safety of his neighbours, then it is the attitude that would be most welcome by the the roobers and thieves. It would be an attitude they need to go about with their criminal work. Fortunately, people who lived in far-away villages knew they need to cultivate the attitude of looking after each other's interest. They knew they cannot afford not to care. They have to be responsible or face the dangers individually as that would be the consequence of being not responsible for everyone in the village.

Security is just one aspect of our life. There is cleanliness, finance and assistance in so many forms. If the people in a village refuses to be responsible for the cleanliness of his village and starts to throw things anywhere they like, they will experience and realise the outcome of their attitude towards the responsibility to keep their village clean very soon when disease or sickness brings weakness and death. Criticism will be made where necessary and action by the village headman will awaken the recalcitrant to the need to be responsible. With greater responsibility come closer and better relationship which will ensure aid be given where and when necessary in nay tragedy that may before any family.

If we can see the need to be responsible and the consequences that may result, then we should be able to understand that we are also responsible for the whole world. After all what is the whole world but a bigger family. No doubt, a bigger world has certain difficulties when it comes to society's recalcitrant members. There is greater need for education of the masses and a need for laws to be enforced to ensure that a sense of responsibility where the right positive attitude is less prevalent.

Difficult as it may seem, every member of society has to do their part to ensure the world will be safe and secure for the future of the people we love; our friends, our children and our grandchildren and our great grandchildren.

Whatever we do today will affect the world of our beloved. In fact, this very minute, the world is getting hotter and hotter and while people suffer from the heat in the tropics, ice is melting at the poles causing traumatic changes that could harm the world we live in. We cannot be selfish and declare that our life would be over soon before any harm to our world can become more evident. We cannot afford not to care or be responsible as long as we know we will be leaving behind many people we love when the time comes for us to depart from it.

The greatest love we can ever declare to the beloved people we leave behind one sure day is to start, each in his/her own way, being responsible in every possible way for everything in our environment.

We have to start caring more or else whatever love we declare for anyone will sound so hollow and empty. And if there is none on this planet you do love, then you are one of the most sorrowful person in this world.

Cultivating responsibility.

"He's the one who approach his parents to inform them of what his brother's and sisters need. The other children look towards him for advice whenever problems arise and their parents are not nearby." One neighbour was telling another about a young man who just went into one of the houses across the street from where they lived.

"Well, what do you expect? He's always been like that since all of them were young. Their parents are always so busy, so he is the one who tends to their needs most of the time," the other neighbour agreed to the comment on that young man.

"It's certainly not in the genes as the other children are not that way," noted the neighbour.

"How is it that he is such a responsible one even when he was in his teens?" wondered the other neighbour.

"What do you expect? He is the eldest and so on his shoulders fell the responsibility of looking after the younger ones when the parents had to be away at work."

"However, it is not always the case that the eldest are given the most responsibility. Sometimes, if the eldest have to go elsewhere for studies or work, a younger child may be given the responsibility of looking after the rest or getting things done in the home."

"That's true. I know the second child in a family who has develop such a sense of responsibility as the eldest had to work while the third or last child was too small to be given any responsibility."

"When you think about it, it's so important to establish that sense of responsibility in every one of our children. It would make him disciplined and be responsible for every aspect of his/her life."

Bring responsible is such an important characteristic of a person that every family ought to think of ways to instill it our precious children so that they will grow into responsible adults in our society.

If an adult feels responsible for him/herself and everything in the world around him/her, then what a beautiful world this would be. This responsible person would certainly do the necessary to perform as well as possibly be, search for no excuses but look for opportunities to improve not just him/herself but as much of anything he/she comes into contact with in everyday life.

To cultivate such a sense of responsibility, children from as young a age as possible should be given responsibilities. Responsibilities need not be difficult. "Please tell mummy when daddy/brother/sister comes home." is a responsibility that any young child who understands the instruction can perform. "Come and help daddy pick up all the toys." is another responsibility. "Please take the towel from the basket and give it to daddy." is another responsibility. Then, as the child grows older, there is the responsibility of collecting the clothes, the responsibility of reminding someone of something and the task of hanging up the clothes to dry when the washing machine has completed its job.

Of course, just being responsible may not be perfect yet. Cultivating the right positive attitude is just as important.

We are certainly responsible for ourselves.

During the last few weeks I have heard on radio, as I drive to work and exercise as well as recreation of one kind or another, that children ought to be responsible for their ageing parents. As parents, is that really good?

Of course, we should be responsible for everything that we can act upon in this world. For example, if we never take the responsibility to help the poor in our society, should they be forced into crime to have a decent meal, then we have only ourselves to blame when they resort to such actions to stay sane and alive. But, there is no necessity to coerce anybody to look after their parents; the suggestion of enforcing such a duty through laws is not the thing to do.

When we say that we are responsible for everything, we must remember that that includes ourselves., we should be responsible for our future which includes the process of growing old. If we are responsible for ourselves, then, as a responsible person, we should think of the future and how our present actions are going to affect it.

We ought to think of our health at the time when we are still healthy. We should act on our own financial situation when we are still young and capable of hard work. We must know how to bring up children with love and understanding so that they will love us in return. However, let us not depend upon them to look after us. We must plan to depend upon ourselves. If they are around to care for us, consider that a bonus.

Why must we be responsible for ourselves and not depend upon our children even though they are caring enough. First, we do not know our future. Look at the families around us and we see parents who outlive their children. To think thus does not in any way indicate negativity or cruelty in our thinking. Things just happen at times. Nothing is predictable and we have to be realistic if we want to be truly prepared for the future.

Then again, there is the type of thinking we develop as a result of being responsible for ourselves. Our thinking moulds our actions. Knowing that we have to be responsible for our future, we plan for it by saving our money consistently. I know of a bachelor who planned to live life to the full, not bothered about old age, by spending every cent he had believing that his pension would be sufficient to take him to his last day. Sad to say, he found his life longer than he had expected, his pension getting insufficient for his needs due to inflation and he had to spend the last few years of his life just surviving miserably. So, we have to plan wisely. We must plan to save no matter how small our income but then we could strive to work harder to earn more. If we are willing, there are ways to do it. I earn more even now by working hard throughout the day although it is for another reason.

Even if we really hope to have our children to lovingly look after us, we must start when our children are young. Love begets love. Nothing comes free. Remember that they do not owe us anything. It is our responsibility to bring our beloved children up well as it is our duty for bringing them into this world. As it is our duty, they do not owe us anything. Whatever we get from them is the result of love, the bonus we get for doing our duty well.

Anyway, if we plan our lives well, everything will fall properly into its place, everything will turn out well. Therefore, planning is important. True success in life, no matter what we have in mind, is no fluke. (Getting millions through a lottery is no success; that is luck.) It’s the result of work.

Parents need not necessarily be the best person to confide in.

Recently, a young guy had relationship problems and he approached an aunt to help solve his problem. According to the story I heard, the girl concerned had three boy-friends and this guy who was very fond of her, felt left out at times. The uncertainty was putting some stress into him. So, he needed someone to confide in so as to reduce the stress through sharing and discussing.

Although his parents are quite close to him, he somehow preferred to reach out to the aunt. Perhaps, there may be some parents who would feel hurt that their son would chose some relative to discuss his problem. No matter how close parents may be to a child, we have to accept the fact that in love relationships, some young people prefer to let younger relatives know about them first. Perhaps, it is safer, more comfortable and easier to quietly relinguish whatever relationship should it ever fade away. There may be less need to explain. After all, a grown child may still have to face his parents everyday while relatives can be avoided for a while for things to cool down.

Therefore, parents should never regard such avoidance of revelation on such matters as an indication of disrespect to the parents concerned. Parents must not rave or rant upon discovery of such a matter from another source. They should respect the need for privacy on the part of their grown child.

Furthermore, parents should not reveal the fact that they know about the matter being discussed with a third party as long as the third party is not detrimental to the child's welfare. Parents should be thankful that the third party is around to assist their child and to privately give further developments to the parents. Be grateful that someone can help him out of his problems for it is also not the fault of this someone that the grown child decides to confide in her and search for a solution from her.

So long as a solution can be derived, parents ought to be happy that their child had somehow managed to jump out of another pothole in life and is safe. That ought to be the role of every parent; to see that their children are safe and developing well.

Praise be to god for such noble deeds.

Every human heart has kindness and beauty in its core. And this manifests itself in the charitable ways of our brothers and sisters of this world. This is especially so during a time of cheer such as the Chinese New Year.

This year, for example, The Art of Living, Sungai Petani, has some very noble ways of celebrating the new year.

First, there is a round of requests for donations from the members themselves so as to prepare red packets and food for the more than three hundred inhabitants of the Old Folks' Home in Bedong. For ordinary folks with no desire for any publicity to think of helping the old folks to enjoy together with the group, it is such a wonderful thought.

Then comes the idea of praying for our wildlife, releasing some of the wild birds, fish and frogs back into their habitat together with a prayer that they could find the way to rebirth into a higher form of life. Whether this is possible or not is immaterial. What matters is the thought that went into the action. The fact that these people think of those whom they believe are less fortunate at a time when there was no necessity to do so proves that they believe they are in a way responsible for not just themselves but for everything that is in their environment. If everyone in this world could come together as one in such noble thoughts, this world would have no wars, no killing, no unnecessary death, no unneccesary fear, no ugliness and life would indeed be beautiful or one and all in this world.

I happen to be one of those who still have some way to go to achieve such noble thoughts though I have realised for some time that this ought to be the way. I can only console myself that I am willing to learn to be as noble, willing to strive to be a better man. Well, as a nature lover, I am certainly never intentionally cruel to animals or things of nature. I used to pluck some of the leaves on my way up or down the hill and there was this lovely friend who obvilusly knew better how to care for nature and she told me not to pluck the leaves. Since then, I have realised that those plants could possibly feel hurt by my action and now I refrain from such an action. Thanks to the friend.

Think and act wisely in the face of responsibility.

Two days ago, I heard this true story about a couple who spent all their savings in order to send their only child to study in Britain. The son passed his final examination and, with a degree, went on to work in Britain where he met the girl of his dreams, a British lady. Their meeting ended on a happy note with the couple married to each other and the boy's parents so happy that their beloved child has found bliss in Britain.

Initially, the boy's parents merely went over to Britain for a visit to see the young couple and to enjoy a holiday there. Everything was fine and they returned home after a few weeks with photographs to show other relatives how well their son was doing in Britain, the beautiful home of the young couple and, oh!, what a wonderful place that was.

Now that their son was permanently residing in Britain, a dream appear. They dream of staying with their son in his home. So, they planned to do just that. And once again, they were in Britain enjoying the place and, of course, depending upon the son for everything as they were no longer working.

Unfortunately, their daughter-in-law was born and bred in Britain where children are expected to be on their own once they have achieved financial independence. Likewise, parents do not live on their children's salary. Well, I don't know but I believe they have something called welfare for those non-working citizens.

Nevertheless, one day, the daughter-in-law told the husband's parents that they have to pay for the rent. Obviously, they were in no position to pay for anything substantial.

Not wishing to disrupt the peace and bliss of their son's family, they had no alternative but to return to their country; back to their own little home.

According to some comments received, there are some who perceive that the daughter-in-law was cruel, that their son should have enquired into the sudden change in plans of the parents; that the parents in this case was stupid to have spent so much money on their child and brought themselves into poverty.

When it comes to the daughter-in-law, it is always so easy to not understand things but fault the girl. she was brought up in a culture where that was the practice and therefore, in her mind, there was no wrong done. Similarly, you do not fault a Muslim for not eating pork or a Buddhist for not eating beef because that is part of their Muslim or Buddhist upbringing. Right or wrong, that is the practice. We have to understand that our practices are all different, be it religious or cultural difference and no one ought to be considered wrong in the practice he/she is brought up in.

As for the parents, they ought to love their child enough to do whatever they could to give him nothing but the best possible. From this story, it is obvious that parents ought to be wise too. They have a responsibility to themselves too; to ensure that whatever finances left is sufficient to see them through to the end of their days. They ought not to depend upon the charity of their child.

From this, we can clearly see that that nobody else, but ourselves, are the only ones responsible for us. Therefore, we ought to act wisely and responsibly.

Enthusiasm, responsibility and effort did the job.

You would think it difficult to find people to do work in which there can be no hope of a pay or reward. However, strange as it may seem, that was what the deputy chairman of our Sungai Petani Art of Living did. She found sufficient volunteers who were willing to sacrifice their time and other personal benefits to come forward to do the job.

Here is an enthusiastic lady who does things with all the vigour she could gather together from her diminutive figure, very short, slim, little girl-like body. But, in terms of energy, she is a giant, ever so exuberant and joyful.

It all started with a phone call from her just as I was having my lunch. In her laughing, joyful voice, she enquired about my whereabouts and my programme for the day. Having confirmed that I was available, she requested for help so sweetly that I immediately replied in the affirmative.

When I reached the Art of Living Centre, we continued our task of cleaning the centre, and redecorating it. For my part, I painted one part of a wall and painted happily dancing plants swaying upwards along another wall. Then, there was the seemingly impossible job of removing cob-webs from the very high ceiling, some thirty feet above the stairs. Fortunately, there were sufficient long poles to assist in accomplishing the task.

In just two days, we had done the job of painting and redecorating our centre with just a handful of volunteers. And it all began with the enthusiasm of just one tiny little lady with enthusiasm and a lively personality.

Once enthusiasm got us to the place to start work it was each person's desire to do whatever he/she could to improve his/her own centre. Yes, the centre was our responsibility. It was the responsibility to have the job well done.

Finally, it is our capable effort to ensure that our centre would be the most attractive centre possible that got us to put in our best and complete the job well. Satisfaction was our reward. Looking at what we had done, a sense of achievement permeated throughout the body and that brought us immeasurable joy and happiness.

Do whatever is possible.

Laws are made by humans and they are certainly not perfect. However, laws are essential for safety and peace of the people. Safety and peace from inhumane adults can only be possible through justice. Nevertheless, justice must be dealt with compassion. Below is a letter written by me and published in the Star some months ago.


Have a heart for woman who stole blanket

I STRONGLY feel something is not right when a poor lady who steals a blanket for her ailing grandma because she cannot afford to buy one as advised by her grandma’s doctor, is jailed for five days and fined a sum of RM500.
Furthermore, if she cannot afford to pay the fine, she would have to spend more time in jail.
I understand very well that she has committed a serious offence and that it is the court’s duty to punish her.
However, considering that the court knows this person stole because she had no money to pay for a blanket and investigations had found that to be true, should not the court have some compassion?
I believe there are NGOs or government bodies who can help her.
I also wonder where she would be hunting for the RM500 to pay for the fine. Will she turn to the loan sharks?
And if she is the only caretaker of her grandma, who would care for the old lady while she spends five days in jail?

What do you think of the poor lady who stole a blanket?

I had to write about the poor lady whose circumstances caused her to steal. She was a caring grand-daughter who wanted to follow the doctor's advice to give her grandmother a blanket. Without money to do so, she was forced to steal to help her grandmother.

Despite knowing that she stole because she had not even enough money to buy a blanket, the court fined her 500 ringgit which would have been a big sum of money for someone who did not even have money for a blanket.

To add to her burden, she was jailed for five days which would have deprived her grandmother of this granddaughter's care for five long days. Yes, an ailing woman who needs help would find five days a little too long. It might have been too long for her to survive that number of days.

God bless us all. Fortunately, there are very kind souls in our world who form NGOs to help such people. You see, a day after the above letter was published by the Star, a representative from an NGO contacted me through the Star to find out more about the case. i supplied whatever information I could. I believed the woman did get help. Thank God!

As for me, I was glad that i did write that letter and brought attention to that lady. I did it because i feel it is everyone's responsibility to do whatever one can, in whatever way possible, as all humans are brothers and sisters. As we in the Art of Living say, "We are a One World Family".