This is worrisome.
According to the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research, the number of fatal accidents involving unlicensed teenage drivers is rising.
Department director-general Suret Singh said of the 6,500 fatal road accidents involving cars and motorcycles in 2008, 41 per cent were unlicensed drivers between the ages of 15 and 25.
Last year, 16- and 17-year-olds made up 67 per cent of unlicensed drivers who died in car crashes.
He said his department was working with other government agencies to enforce laws on motorists.
Many of us, parents, at some point, have to deal with this problem with our teenaged kids.
Heck. Some of us, were probably that naughty teenager, once upon a time.
I suppose we can relate our teenage exploits with relish and laughter. We never got caught. And if we did get caught, nothing untoward came of it. All part of growing up, we tell ourselves.
Of course, some of us, remember our mischief with a chill down our spine. A tinge of regret, even. We were just so lucky nothing untoward happened.
What we did was wrong, we all agree.
There is really no difference between yesterday's teenagers and today's. Just as testerone-charged. Just as reckless. That devil-may-care attitude.
It's just that those days, in the 60s, or 70s, were a lot different. The roads were less harsh, less cruel. Drivers were not so crazed and manic. And no mat rempits, to speak of.
I have so many friends who have to deal with their teenaged kids (no lesen) sneaking out for the drive to the mamak shop to meet their "member", usually late at night or in the wee hours of the morning because the roads are traffic-free.
It is not the norm for parents to allow their underaged kids to drive.
The key/operative words here are "sneak out".
How hidden are your car keys? Under your pillow?
I mean, it is a universal problem. In Malaysia, the US, the UK, Australia. A parent's nightmare.
How do we deal with it?
I have no answer. But we have to deal with it and try our best to prevent that kind of situation where your underaged kid gets your car keys and sneak out, driving your car.
No parent wants that because ... oh...for obvious reasons. You know what they are.
So..take care of your (teenaged) kids.
I know. It's easier said than done.
Q: What's more dangerous than a trigger happy policeman?
ReplyDeleteA: A teenage kid without driving license behind the wheel.
Q: What's more dangerous than a teenage kid without a driving license behind the wheel.
A: The parents of said teenager.
i know of so many cases of kids driving without licenses. Most of these cases, their parents do not know about the sneaking out.
ReplyDeleteLike the case of Aminulrasyid. What a tragedy!
Do you know why he was driving the way he was driving?
1. He was a kid. even though he had been sneaking out, but still not a good enough driver. that wsa why he knocked the motorcyclist, and then he panicked..
2. he panicked because he had no licence and when he panicked, his driving got worse.
3. because he had no licence, he was scared to stop -- not for the mat rempits, not for the police, not for anyone.
Aminulrasyid had no business driving a car and at that time.
The rest, as we know, is a terrible terrible tragedy because the police got into the picture.
Today, one of the policemen was charged in court for the fatal shooting.
I think this is why we must take care of our kids.
You are right. it is not easy.
I wish all parents a lot of luck!
If you do not have an answer, please keep quiet.
ReplyDeleteWe have a mega problem. I know some parents who allow their kids to take the motorbike to the shop "just around the corner". Sometimes to get them their pack of Marlboro.
ReplyDeleteIn Bandar Kinrara where I still live, kids in school uniform rempits to school and back. They may have their license but this school is just off a busy main road. Cars and lorries speed on those roads even though there are speed bumps.
Often I see these speeding kids, happy faces on the bike, saying, "Look Ma, no helmets!"
Yep, we have a mega problem.
anon@7:21PM: All we can hope and pray for is that there will be no more cases like aminulrasyid. Because when tht happens, it's too late to turn back the clock and make things right. We learn from such tragedy, praying that we can prevent a similar tragedy from befalling us.
ReplyDeleteWitch: Just yesterday, along JALAN BANGSAR, a teenager was riding a motorbike without his helmet on!
Rocky : Yep...tell me about it. Remember in Setiawangsa...how i freaked out when i saw kids riding motorcylces ...and without wearing helmets...
ReplyDeleteanon@8:20PM :
ReplyDeleteyou must be a very very unhappy person....:-)
Noraini,
ReplyDeleteSalam,
What I can say ...
"SI LUNCAI TERJUN DENGAN LABU LABUNYA. BIARKAN...BIARKAN...
What els...
OH MALAYSIA...
bila berita aminulrasyid disibarkan, pertama nya, saya terkejut dapat tahu umur nya.
ReplyDeleteapahal ibu bapa biarkan anak bawah umur keluar 2 pagi mandu kereta.
ya. saya simpati dengan ibu-bapa aminulrasyid. kerana kehilangan anak tersayang dalam keadaan sebegitu. Al Fatihah.
Nak salahkan terang-terang ibu-bapa Aminulrasyid, tak sampai hati kerana dah-lah kehilangan anak...
memang mudah nak salahkan pihak polis.
bagi saya, keadaan kereta yang dipandukan oleh aminulrasyid memberi sebab polis mengejar...yang saya pertikaikan ia-lah tembakan berkali-kali. perlu-kah pihak polis menembak berkal-kali ke arah kereta aminulrasyid?
perkara dah lepas. satu nyawa seorang budak di ragut. satu anggota polis sudah di bawa ke muka keadilan.
bagi kita semua, kita berdoa perkara sebegini tidak berlaku ke atas kita.
Dengan doa, kita perlu melakukan sesuatu juga -- jag anak-anak kita dengan baik.
rocky is right. big big problem. aminulrasyid is a case in point.
ReplyDeleteso sad the way he was killed -- that shouldn't have happened.
but it did.
if aminulrasyid had not been killed by (police) bullets, i reckon the mat rempits would've got to him.
so you see -- either way, so terrible.
we feel for parents whatever it is...but they must take some responsibility for allowing their underaged kids to drive. and these kids do it either late at night or the wee hours of the morning becos, yes, it's true, the roads are clear of trafik.
if aminulrasyid had been a licensed driver, he would not, firstly drive so badly that he hit a motorbike and then a car..and i am sure he would not try to flee the police. he would not panic becos there would have been no reason to be so.
all this is typical of someone who shouldn't be doing what he was doing...
but oh well...all in the past. easy to say things now.
very tragic. very sad.
we all hope there will not be another case of aminulrasyid. painful.
anak saya baru dapat lesen memandu. dia tengah kemaruk bawak kereta. macam mana nak cakap? risau jugak dibuatnya.
ReplyDeletesomethign on anwar's case
ReplyDeleteGEMPAR!!!! Transkrip perbualan rahsia Anwar dan bomoh Benggali, Pajan Singh di mahkamah
sila datang ke Melayu Bersatu untuk membaca transkrip penuh
Salam Puan Nuraina,
ReplyDeleteBenar seperti kata Sdr Rocky,"We have a mega problem".Kita mempunyai mega problem bukan sahaja dalam hal pemuda dan pemudi memandu kereta atau menunggang motorsikal tanpa lesen tetapi juga dalam masalah penyakit sosial seperti penyalahgunaan dadah,merempit,meragut, menyamun dan lain masalah yg kita sering dengar saban hari.Terkini yg kerap dipaparkan didalam akhbar harian ialah masalah buang bayi.Gempar seluroh negara membicarakan tentang fenomena itu,dan pelbagai cadangan dan rancangan diutarakan untuk menangani dan mengatasinya.Kemudian ianya, macam biasalah,ia akan reda dan sepi; segala rancangan dan cadangan turut hilang entah kemana.Begitulah juga segala masalah dan penyakit sosial yg timbul dari masa kesemasa seperti hal memandu tanpa lesen ini.
Sebenarnya sifat dan sikap masyarakat kita dan juga pihak berkuasa yg bersifat hangat-hangat tahi ayam dan buat kerja bermusim inilah merupakan salah satu sebab yg menyumbang kepada wujudnya gejala penyakit sosial yg kita hadapi sekarang.
Mega problem ini jika dibiarkan berterusan tanpa sesuatu tindakan yg serius dan berkesan diambil nescaya ianya akan membawa padah yg benar-benar akan mengugat kesejahteraan hidup kita.
Benar kita tidak dapat menagani dan menghapuskan seratus peratus segala masalah itu tetapi kita boleh dan mampu menangani sebahagian daripada masalah untuk mengurangkannya ketahap yg seminima mungkin.Untuk itu kita memerlukan semua pihak agar betul-betul berazam,nekad dan komited dalam melaksanakan tugas dan tanggungjawab masing-masing,diantaranya ialah:
1.Ibu bapa nendidik dan menjaga anak-anak dengan lebi rapi.Tegas dan kosistan dalam pematuhan kepada ajaran agama,adat susila dan pantang larang keluarga dan masyarakat setempat.
2.Kawalan secara langsong terhadap pergerakan anak-anak perlulah dilaksanakan mengikut kaedah yg bersesuaian sebilang masa.
3.Nilai-nilai hidup yg murni hendaklah ditekan secara berkesan diperingkat sekolah dan juga dirumah dengan cara didikan dan contoh tauladan.
4.Pihak berkuasa seperti Polis dan lain-lain jabatan yg terlibat dengan urusan penguatkuasaan hendaklah bertindak tegas mengambil tindakan terhadap mereka yg melanggar undang-undang dan peraturan.
5.Hukaman yg dikenakan keatas pesalah hendaklah dikenakan yg seberat mungkin yg diperuntukkan oleh undang-undang agar ianya benar-benar menjadi pengajaran.
6.Masyarakat umun dan orang politk hendaklah tidak terlalu menyalah pihak berkuasa dan cuba membela mereka yg melanggar undang-undang.Sebagai contoh,satu ketika pihak Polis mengambil tindakan menahan murid-murid sekolah di sekitar Kem Desa Pahlawan yg menunggang motorsikal tanpa lesen.Tindakan itu dikecam olih orang politik(wakil Rakyat)dan ibu bapa berkenaan.
Yang pastinya,selagi kita tidak mengubah sikap dan meningkatkan keazaman kita untuk membaiki keadaan yg kita hadapi sekarang kita akan terus dibelenggu dan dihantui oleh segala macam masalah yg berkaitan dengan penyakit sosial ini.Justeru,kita perlu bersikap optimis dan positif dalam menghadapi masalah ini.
Askar Tua
Sdr Basree,
ReplyDeleteSatu cara ialah naik dgn anak sdr setiap kali dia nak memandu. Jadikan ia satu syarat. Bila sdr sendiri dah berpuas hati dgn cara dan hemah dia semasa memandu, barulah lepaskan dia keluar. Itupun kita kena selalu peringat. Biarlah dicap sebagai kaki merungut, ia lebih baik dari membiarkan anak kita kpd bahaya dan malang yang tak berbau.
Sekadar pandangan saja.
KISAH BAPAK DENGAN ANAK DULU-DULU.
ReplyDeleteDulu2 dengar suara bapak je anak dah kecut perut. Belum panggil dah datang. Macam askar dgn jeneral. Hari ini jerit keluar lidah pun anak jawab NANTI KEJAP.
Dulu2 anak mengadu cikgu sekolah sebat bapak tolong tambah seliang lagi. Bila sakit dan menjerit dapat bonus extra.
Dulu2 curi-curi pakai basikal,hari ini bukan saja motor dan kereta,silap2 haribulan girlfriend bapak pun anak try.
Dulu2 dalam rumah lebih banyak ancaman dari diluar rumah.Kat luar relak je. Kat dalam mecam2 keje anak2 kena buat.Picit kaki emak, cabut uban bapak,tolong parut kelapa dan kena pegi kedailah. Mintak upah seposen mata bapak jadi besar macam duit 50 sen. Hari ini anak2 siap dgn kad ATM.
Dulu2 pukul 8 mlm semua keluarga ada dalam rumah.Hari ini,bapak balik pukul satu pagi,anak keluar pukul 2 pagi.
Dulu2 bolehlah sebab polis pakai kayu cota......
NAS!
ReplyDeleteAs I commented on Rocky's Bru, the incident is tragic & there is too much venom{crazed as you put it}, too much hate being spewed.
It has happened and all of us must,must take a look at the incident dispassionately & learn lessons from it.
Parents must be the first - talk to your kids more effectively & spend time with them.
The Police must take a very very long & undefensive look at themselves & their training.
I remember not so long ago, when travelling, I shouted IDIOT when a driver cut into my lane without signalling!
By grandnephew{aged 10} who was beside me remarked that the driver was very "naughty" to have done what he did but that I should not react in anger!!! And I am 57 whilst he is 10!!!
If we as parents do not reach out to our kids & grandkids, constantly, not nagging but "reaching out", then such incidents will continue to occur.
Perhaps all parents can now use this incident & reach out to their children.
And please do not forget, when Amir graced the other car, he panicked when the people of that car chased him - the rest is history.
Godspeed!
Mr.M
Solutions:
ReplyDelete1) Parents of child or teenage victims should be held responsible and brought to court, jailed and fined. These are the parents who allow their children to go to pasar malam unattended or who go shopping without keeping an eye on their child. These are the parents who let their children drive without a license.
2) Peragut and perompak - potong tangan.
3) Perogol - potong konek.
4) Mat rempit - first offence: confisicate bike, jail term and fine. Second offence - potong kaki.
5) Rasuah - potong tangan.
6) Tipu - example: scratch-and-win, etc. - potong tangan.
7) Sodomy - potong konek.
Plus: Curfew from 10 PM to 6 AM except for police, army and other agents. Anybody else on the streets which includes mat rempit, indian macha gangsters wannabes or ah beng wannabes can be shot on sight by Tentera Diraja Malaysia.
Sekian Terima Kasih.
The 7th Solution
My kids can only stare and gawk at their cars awaiting their coming of legal age to drive AND their possession of a driving licence.
ReplyDeleteEven then they had a 9pm curfew. They are only allowed past midnight when they turn 21. And my wife and I still worry about them when they stay out late.
Everyone must realize that age is not a number. The driving age is not there for no reason.
The "stay out late" age is also there for a reason.
I would never have even dreamed about staying beyond maghrib when I was 15 let alone driving a car.
I shall not abdicate my responsibility as neither my parents.