However, I have selected this 2 newsclips to highlight the continued scourge of secret societies and gangs within our own island state.
In September 1989, Tan Sai Siong, a popular columnist from the Straits Times, wrote this piece under the "Look Back In Wonder" column.
I took my pen out to immediately highlight some critical points or facts in the article...not realising then that those points ARE STILL VALID and as RELEVANT in the light of the current gang situation as years before.
Especially important for you my readers to consider the words of Professor Harvey C Bunke in the last 5 paragraphs of the article...under " It's Wrong Not To Know What's Wrong" heading.
I'm one of those who agree with the views of this learned Professor when he lamented the decline of American society and saw dark similarities with what was then happening in S'pore.
It's even worse today, situation and approach-wise.
Today many of our youths do not know the significant difference between right and wrong, between good and evil. No, I'm not saying they are plain stupid. Our youths are not entirely to blame for the moral confusion they have inherited...which came as a result of the MISPLACED
APPROACHES AND EMPHASIS ADOPTED BY the Education Ministry and other govt agencies in stemming this rising tide of hooliganism, gangsterism, thuggery, ad nauseum...in the way these samseng-kias ( both sexes ! ) were to be handled, counselled by school counsellors, teachers and others.
An overly soft, non-judgmental approach has been in place and you can judge the results for yourselves...where that has taken us.
I once noticed 3 of my "own" ss darlings coming out from the general office after a counselling session for their horrid misbehaviour.
As soon as they stepped out of the office, they gave each other "High-5s!" and patted each other on the back, gave a "V" sign to some other friends sitting in the canteen. I was at the canteen doing my work but saw everything.
I called the 3 over and they sheepishly approached.
I asked them politely to describe their counselling"session" and whether it had any effect on them...whether they would change their ways as a result.
They were unsurprisingly frank and candid with their feedback to me. It was downright bad news. But I wasn't surprised.
I would not want to relate here what they said to me but suffice to say..it painted a very bleak picture of the effectiveness of this kind of counselling policy.
By the way, I "took care" of that 3 toughies right that day itself...so that similar toughies after that day, never came out feeling that they are more powerful than the Principal, heck even the police or even God. I put heavy doses of healthy fear into such miscreants. Those I dealt with never, ever forgot.
The CID is ever so thankful and has placed it on record. The MOE still has much to do and learn.
[ Straits Times: 2 Sept 1989 ]
Below is just one of many incidents of gangs and their murderous ways.
This one took place in the month of December 2001.
Do not be surprised by the numbers in a wolf pack ( gang members).
These cowards only feel very brave when they have superior numbers in an attack or assault.
When they themselves are cornered...they plead and cry for their safety, their life.
Many had approached Unk Dicko for extra,lawful assistance when they realised they could not move about safely, without themselves becoming victims of revenge attacks.
Many of those I dealt with had been hammered and were lucky not to have been killed.
Not so lucky were those who did the hammering....
[ Straits Times: 19 December 2001 ]
