THE success of a nation does not depend solely on its skyscrapers, modern public amenities, high-tech industries, information technology or increased per capita income but also on its value system in line with a civilised nation.
To achieve a truly civilised and cultured nation there must be social transformation in terms of changes in attitudes and the value systems.
In this regard our youths and teenagers must be an integral part of this social transformation. They need to channel their energy into positive and constructive activities based on their individual interests.
As our society becomes more affluent, ethics and morality are under threat. They are on most occasions not given due emphasis and only take a back seat.
Nurturing good family and noble values among the youths amidst rapid modernization and changes in life style is a major challenge today. A collective effort from all sectors of society is needed to achieve this goal.
Our 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 economic 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 Vision 2020.
The aim of Vision 2020 is not only to make Malaysia a fully industrialized nation in the economic sense but also to ensure it is fully developed from all dimensions particularly from the moral, ethical and caring aspects.
Civilisation and progress are not to be measured only by the gross national product and technological capacity. They are also measured by the development of the human conscience. A caring society is one which attaches great importance to the development of the human being – the human being who is imbued with compassion, understanding, a sense of justice and a generous attitude.
We need to sensitise society and the community to play a role to address the social concerns. Members of our community should constantly look out for each other through the community or neighbourly spirit. To address the various social problems in our midst, a number of steps have to be taken to deal with the core issue of social and moral decay besetting us today.
Moral decay is caused by the erosion of spiritual and ethical values which can be overcome by upgrading the quality of family life to impart basic moral values to the youths. Good moral and ethical values must, therefore, be given the highest priority in all programmes to train and build our youths for national development and nation building.
The process of inculcation of all these values should begin with the home and continue in the schools, universities and the workplace.
Counselling programmes involving family institutions and the promotion of good noble values are in great need today than ever before.
Noble values must continue to be preserved and nurtured to act as a shield against the various social ills plaguing the society.
When a nation progresses the family institution could be the first victim with children not getting enough attention and guidance leading to the emergence of various social ills affecting our teenagers.
A dilemma facing Malaysian parents today is really how to strike a balance between their working career and nurturing their children. Another problem is also perhaps due to lack of parenting skills which has to be addressed.
The fact is that parents are busy with their career and are not able to spend quality time with their children with the result that thousands of urban children are left to the whims and mindsets of foreign maids, baby-sitters and in some cases relatives.
Children who return from schools find themselves in empty homes as both their parents are out at work. There is no one around to show parental love, teach and inculcate in the children good family values.
Instead of seeking guidance from parents these children do so from their peers. With negative peer pressure an environment will exist which will eventually lead to various social ills.
Children who grow up in such environment will end up in becoming the victims of many social ills like truancy, violence in schools, drug abuse and even crimes.
If this problem is not addressed it will result in a serious divide between children and parents and an increase in social problems and crime involving young people.
Parents must be prepared to make an effort to spend quality time with their children. Children need parental love and without it their lives will be destroyed as they will neither understand nor appreciate love and family ties later in their lives.
Parents must be increasingly concerned about the quality of family life and must constantly take steps to instill into their children the basic moral values needed to build the foundation of a strong, stable and cohesive society.
What is also needed is a continuous programme of moral strengthening and reinforcement to make the children aware of their responsibilities to themselves, their parents, the community and the nation.
The world today is confronted with a very disturbing phenomenon. Wherever modernization and economic development takes place and results in a better standard of living, new problems, such as a decline in human values and moral degradation, occur.
To arrest the situation, a massive programme of inculcating values is required at all levels for children, youths and teenagers.
Values such as obedience, filial piety, respect for elders, patience and tolerance, truth, responsibilities, honour, etc need to be emphasised.
Strong human values along with strong families are key to building a peaceful and stable community which will then lead to a strong and stable nation.
Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye
Kuala Lumpur