The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion
The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion |
| Posted: 20 Aug 2011 05:34 PM PDT AUG 21 — There are always victims in an economic recession. It can push individuals into desperation and force them potentially to do something that they would not otherwise do. It can turn the man on the street into a criminal. There is a relationship between economic recessions and unemployment rates and there is a relationship between unemployment and crime rates. An empty stomach has a way of convincing that the wrongness of stealing is only a secondary worry to the concern of the stomach. Rule of law can be meaningless in times of desperation. The hungrier one gets because of external circumstances, the greater the erosion on one's belief in the rule of law. The reward of specific types of crime becomes enticing. Although there are risks involved in committing the crime, its relative immediate reward has the potential of immediately relieving hunger. A little chance of not going hungry is better than no chance at all. Before these sentences are misconstrued as a justification or even an encouragement for criminal activities, let it be known the difference between describing and prescribing. One describes without making value judgment. One prescribes with value judgment. This is an effort at the former. The relationship between economic recession (or perhaps the term economic downturn is a better phrase to escape the banality of technicalities) and unemployment rate is well-established. This requires no further exposition. The relationship between unemployment and crime rates is also well-explored. What makes exposition important for the latter is that in Malaysia, there is an increasing tendency to ignore it. In its place, there is a belief that an alphabet soup causes the decline in reported crime rate. That narrative needs to be assessed and then made blunt in the interest of sincerity. Partisan political discussions sometimes can push honesty aside for political convenience. It is all about brownie points. The utility of free speech is essential in putting less-than-honest in perspective. There are many documentations proving how unemployment contributes to crime rate. Karin Edmark in 2005 showed how "unemployment had a positive and significant effect on some property crimes in Sweden." Property crimes can be associated with theft, which can be associated to what can be called as crime of the stomach. In 2002, Eric Gould, Bruce Weinberg and David Mustard found a similar result for general crime rate for young, unskilled labour in the United States, between 1979 and 1997. Steven Raphael and Rudolf Winter-Ebmer in 2001 found the same relationship in the United States in the 1990s. They wrote "…a substantial portion of the decline in property crime rates during the 1990s is attributable to the decline in the unemployment rate." There is little reason why it should be different for other parts of the world, including Malaysia. It is highly instructive to learn that if indeed actual crime rate had decreased in Malaysia, it happened only while the economy was recovering, thus creating the jobs needed to reduce unemployment. It is equally instructive that crime rate was on the rise around the same time the Great Recession was at its peak, adversely affecting external demand for Malaysian goods and through that, jobs in Malaysia. In February 2009, the unemployment rate was 4.1 per cent. In the same month in 2010, the rate was 3.6 per cent. Out of the 12 months, the 11 months of 2009 had higher unemployment rate than the same month a year later. If anybody requires any reminder, it was 2010 when the domestic economy was recovering at a worthwhile rate. The year 2009 was just horrible. The severity of that number can be put in better context. The annual rate for 2006, 2007 and 2008 was around 3.3 per cent. In 2009, it is estimated to be 3.7 per cent. The estimate for 2010 is already lower than the year before, at 3.5 per cent. As for the 2010 crime rate, the crime index fell by about 15 per cent compared to the previous year, according to a Bernama report. It also stated that the "achievement was a result of the Royal Malaysia Police's (PDRM) 12 initiatives to battle crime nationwide," those initiatives being the Government Transformation Programme. The arrogance and the dishonesty are truly remarkable. The narrative of the results from the government's effort at combating crime must compete with the mainstream uncontroversial economic one. This is not to say government effort is worthless, but for it and its supporters to claim too much credit, or in this case all the credit for the alleged drop in crime rate without even blinking amid the well-established and stronger case between unemployment and crime rate is too much to take. That is undue credit. It must compete, just like how the government and its supporters claimed the undue credit for the Malaysian economic recovery when in fact, it was mostly the then rising tide of global economy that lifted the Malaysian boat. Little things do matter. Actual effort at combating crime by the government and the wider public do matter and they are most appreciated. Nevertheless, do not be dishonest about it. Such dishonesty will discredit all the good real things done. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by Used Car Search. |
| Posted: 20 Aug 2011 05:30 PM PDT AUG 21 — I've gone back to school for a subject I thought I was already familiar with. I've been learning about becoming a mother all over again because it seems as if my mind has wiped out memories of being pregnant, which was a distant four years ago. I have also been feeling more cautious this time round because I am now classified "advanced maternal age" (35 years and above), so thought it best to have a refresher course to learn of complications that might affect my aging body. My husband and I were encouraged to attend antenatal seminars as it is also our first time giving birth in a Hong Kong public hospital. Not all of the participants at the seminars were first-timers; indeed some were going for a hattrick. Yet these classes are taken seriously, possibly because it is the first time for all of us giving birth in this country. I think the nurse's name was Julia. It may be Julie. It was amusing and wonderful to watch high-powered expatriate couples (I had signed up for the English language antenatal class) paying full attention to the tiny figure in front, cradling the microphone in her delicate hands. Even the expectant fathers, some who had rugby-player proportions, looked vulnerable in that room in the fading daylight. Julia/ Julie had us eating out of her hands. I'd asked myself why these well-off people would choose a public hospital. Turns out they a) did not see the point in spending in the region of HK$100,000 (RM38,000) in a private hospital (for a natural birth; Caesarian section would cost more) or b) theirs was a complicated pregnancy (twins, low-lying placenta) and in the event of further complications during the birth process they may be transferred to a public hospital anyway. The well-presented seminars helped paint a clearer picture of the procedures in Hong Kong public hospitals. My initial apprehension at the basic conditions ("we only supply you with a bed and gown") has since been eased with the knowledge that husbands are allowed in the labour ward round the clock and that back massage is provided to relax the expectant mother. We are encouraged to come up with a birth plan stating preferences during the delivery including pharmalogical options. We can even bring in our choice of soothing music to be played during labour. So no strapping down onto the bed. Phew. In fact, a birth ball is provided ("Don't worry, we wipe it down after each use."), as is the TENS machine and we are allowed to choose a comfortable position to give birth in, provided we have understood fully how to go about doing so (i.e. giving birth in a standing position doesn't mean simply standing upright and waiting for a miracle to happen). I mentioned earlier the sky-high prices for giving birth in a private hospital. The cost is only $350 (RM133) in a public hospital but one needs to put up with terrible visiting hours (12pm-1pm and 6pm-8pm; no children; only two visitors per session), open wards (claustrophobic once the curtains are drawn around the narrow bed) and shared bathrooms. But when put into perspective, these inconveniences last only three days out of a lifetime. Then at the end of six hours of class came the white-knuckle moment: watching the birth video. I can say that I've been there and done that. The fact is I didn't SEE any it. I decided early on in my first pregnancy that I did not want to see any image of a baby crowning. This time I could not tear my eyes off the screen. The first distraction was the dated hairdo and clothing tell-tale of the 1980s. Watching the cervix dilate to allow the baby's head to emerge was an O.M.G. moment. I bet every husband in the room had the same thought going through his mind. At this point, the midwife announced that giving birth is the most painful experience a woman will ever, EVER go through. She quickly added that the pain will go away once we see the baby, which was true for me. There was no free spread of mouthwatering food at this ceramah. No flashy VIPs. The nurse may have been soft-spoken but our ears were pricked as if waiting for gold nuggets to fall from her mouth. And tumble out they did: Did you know that the areola darkens as the pregnancy progresses to enable the newborn to identify its source of food (in the first month, newborns only see black and white)? Babies should be placed at the bottom of the cot with their feet almost touching the bars. This is to prevent the blanket from covering their face as the wriggle downwards (which may happen when the baby is placed in the middle of the cot). Taking rectal temperature is more accurate compared to ear and armpit temperature-taking. Rectal represents core temperature or how warm the body is whereas forehead and armpit only represent skin temperature. Never place a thermometer inside a new baby's mouth – it will instinctively suckle. So was it worth attending this ceramah? Definitely. It helped to be in the same room with other expectant parents who had similar "silly" questions. It helped to have experienced midwives answer our queries and put fears to rest. Most of all, there were no empty promises and reassurances to quieten us. Just facts and possible outcomes. I now have some peace of mind about this birth. I am impressed with the local support system which provides free antenatal talks, breastfeeding classes, antenatal exercises (nominal fee) and a hospital tour to prepare parents for the experience ahead. Now only if there was a drug-free way to a less painful delivery... * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by Used Car Search. |
| You are subscribed to email updates from The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 ulasan:
Catat Ulasan