Parents say sorry over surau vandalism
SEREMBAN: The parents of four teenagers detained for allegedly vandalising a surau in Taman Pulai Impian near here have apologised to its committee and Muslims over their children’s actions.
In a special meeting organised by the Negri Sembilan MCA at the surau yesterday, the parents of the youngsters, aged between 16 and 18, issued personal apologies to the committee members. They also expressed their regret to Muslims and everyone who were offended by their children’s actions.
They said their children’s behaviour was a result of ignorance and that they didn’t mean to incite racial sentiments.
Trader Cheng Kok Foo, 38, was hopeful that the Muslim community would forgive the youngsters for their irresponsible act.
Thank God good sense prevailed for now......for now.
“It is wrong to defile a place of worship and I am so sorry that the children acted without thinking,” he said.
How sure you are that they "acted without thinking"? If these 16-18 years old acted without thinking, the parents are wanting!
His sentiments were echoed by carpenter Wong Seow Wai, 43, who was shocked when the police showed up at his home to arrest his son.
“We had no idea that our son and his friends were involved. I hope the children will be released early and given a second chance,” he said.
Released early? They should be remanded until we know who is the leader, how they planned the desecration of the place of worship, were others involved, the whole works!
Housewife Leong Foong Kuen, 53, said she hoped that the committee would forgive her 18-year-old son for his immature behaviour.
Mechanic Loh Teck Ai, 53, the father of the youngest suspect, said he was saddened by the children’s actions.
“I hope the Muslim community will find it in their hearts to forgive them,” he said.
Full of regret: Parents of the four teenagers Wong (left), Cheng (second from left), Loh (second from right) and Leong (right) tendering their apologies to Mohd Hasbi (fourth from left) while Dr Yeow (third from left) looks on. — Bernama
26 comments:
I agree. They must be held accountable for their actions.
Completely agree. They cannot be let off the hook so easily. If they are not punished, they will go on doing these things except that next time they will be more careful not to get caught. A deterrent sentence will also send a warning to other trouble-makers out there.
The four should be at least given 5 strokes of rotan and a jail term of 6 months at least.
We cannot just let these idiots off.
I agreed with Bernard. This act is no different than the act of a few Malays dude lobbing a few molotov cocktail into a church. So the punishment should be meted out similarly as an act of deterence for others in future.
They say, "spare the cane and spoil the brat"!!
They are such a disgrace, even at this age, how to expect them to get on and be responsible human beings in adult life?
It's good their parents came forward to apologise and I believe they were not involved, but that does not mean they are free from blame for neglecting their kids. It's not all they should not take their boys back but instead leave them to the Surau management to carry on whatever punishment - cane or hang them upside down deem fit. Those rascals should be made to do community service like clean up the Surau toilets for a year! That will teach them to be more respectful to others and people around them.
i agree with shamsul
It could an organised crime by the biggest Triad in Malaysia... U know I know which gang lah!
Uncle Zorro,
I agree. The culprits should be severely punished in accordance to the law (no double standards) so that they will learn from their despicable act. Saying sorry or feeling remorse is not good enough. The 4 have to face the full consequences of their actions.
They need to be punished let them face the music. Malaysian need not need this kind of people be it Chinese or others they are playing with sensitive crime. Put them in jail or do community services .There is no such thing as forgiven and have liberty as a free man.
Totally agree! Heaviest sentence should be jail and canning. Lightest sentence to be community service for a year (after work hours if working or after school hours if still schooling). The boys to decide together with the Surau Committee. At the same time, counseling to be done every 3 months to ensure they realized the error of their actions.
Forgiving huh?
Since the cow head protesters were 'punished' with a thousand dollar fine after the grand spectacle, I would say this offence should cost about 500 bucks max.
So why the whipping and parent punishing? Why the double standards?
Technically correct since none of the perpetrators were fined $1000 after a a guilty erdict by the court. nobody fined
zorro,
I feel that the Chinese parents have been readily responsible, and the Malays have been graciously forgiving. After all this is just juvenile vandalism, and not arson. This should be the spirit in Malaysia. A lesson for us all.
Some community service would have been better.
16-18 years old is still juvenile.
Question is did they work alone???
If not, the root must be exposed!
There is no excuse, these youths should be punished and their parents should be fined.The police should go for the master mind behind all this.I cannot believe it is due to some misunderstandings.
The authorities must punish the youths severely - they have committed a serious and unforgivable offence.The muslims may be in a forgiving mood but I am not.
The aithorities should amend the law so that all those found guilty of of doing babaric things at places of worship of any religion should be caned in the public and it should be telecast live to the nation.
The unity and harmony of the country is more sacred then my scriptures
param
Yes... they should be punished. If they are juveniles then punished as per juvenile laws. If the young are given the impression that the society is so forgiving for such acts, then who is to stop anyone from doing anything like this in future.
Punish? Yes, please do. But why did they do that? For fun? Don't gimme that bull.
There must be some incident which provoked them to do that.
No smoke without fire!
Maybe our Muslim friends at that place can come out with the truth.
Dear Uncle Z,
I'm a muslim and happens to be a malay too. I like to think myself of having a liberal view on our politics and some did say that I'm too having a liberal approach in Islam. I guess they might be right. I strongly condemn this act of vandalism towards places of worship belong to any religions be it muslim, buddhist, hindu, christian, sikh or any. It was an act of sick minded and shallow thinking. And i always do think (personally) that such acts were blessing in disguise for the power that be to gain political mileage for their survival...
Peace.
There is now a new twist to this episode. The sister to one of those teeagers say they were provoked and also slapped by one person from the surau.
16 to 18 years old and not 6 to 8 years old. They are irresponsible minors and should be punished. What if this incident would have blown out of proposition and innocent people were injured or killed due to their acts ? 1 stroke of rotan and 2 weeks in jail plus 1 month cleaning the surau's toilet should be the punishment for this dudes !!!
these rascals are all future "Yong Vui Kong' in the making.....parents apologising are not enough...
some punishment needs to be carried out eg ; public caning......what happens if a riot broke out and innocent people get killed.......who will be responsible......malays chinese or indian or whatever no double standard...show the country we mean business and must respect each other,,hormat-menghormati is utmost important.....
to all my malay friends i wish them Selamat Berpuasa...
Anonymous 9:03PM,
Even if there was someone from the Surau slapped one of the kids, does it ok for the kids to retaliate by vandalising place of worship? What if others started to use their same logic like these kids, to start burning down other people place of worship due to some misunderstanding of minor traffic accident?
Are you going to condone this act too?
The right thing the kids should have done is to lodge a police report if someone assault them and let the law of our land take it owns course, not by taking matters into their own hand. Two wrong does not make it right. That is the message we should teach all these kids.
I believed, a few months of community service would teach them how to behave in future.
Mr.Zorro,you sounded like someone who will act like 'tooth for tooth' kind of revenge.It already settled among the surau committee and the parents and the surau committee had said this is case of vandalism(and not purposeful damage)and it is all bcos of the scoulding on the boys by the surau keeper on the boys action of burning fire cracker near the surau that they (the boys) resort to venge their unhappiness.So why you want to flare up this issue again? Why did you not also comment strongly on the incident of the arson done on the Setapak church(which is more serious damage and done without clear excuse).You are practising double standard and I doubt your integrity.
I am a Chinese and I think it is fair for the 4 teenagers to be punished.
These kids all deserve the full penalties of the laws for what they had done. Apology and saying sorry is not a factor to excuse their criminal act. The cosequences could have been more severe. This is the type of incident which should have never happened, irregardless whether the same was committed by any sector of the community. They MUST be punished for their very foolhardy action. No second thoughts. No if, no but.
malsia1206
hi...im a malay moslem...yes i think they should be punished, but if things got settled amicably, there's nothing wrong...that's just my opinion, really. nothing wrong in being forgiving, that's entirely the prerogative of the surau committee...
farha
Attacks on race and religion should be dealt with seriously.
Unfortunately, what we have been witnessing again and again, is that when some people conduct open attacks on race and religion, nothing is done to them.
People have been complaining about a certain newspaper for example, and the constant racist articles that appear in it. No action appears to be taken against that paper.
So if you are all going to demand that the teenagers who attacked the surau be severely punished, then you should demand that anyone others who attack other races and religions also be severely punished. Justice for all, surely?
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