Filth on the Net can boost crime

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Dr M: Filth on the Net can boost crime
Maria J.Dass


Tun Dr Mahathir at the BrandLaureate Lecture Series today.

KUALA LUMPUR (June 30,2009) : Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed blamed the filth available over the internet and drug addiction as a potent crime-boosting formula, saying the easy access by teenagers to pornography over the Net is a dangerous trend.

He also cited the absence of both parents, who are busy working, in the lives of young people as another reason for the susceptibility of youth to immoral activities.

"Maids usually do not teach you these things, and there is a lack of focus on this in schools."

He said corruption was another product of the lack of a strong value system.

Mahathir said this when responding to questions on whether the fight against crime was taken into account as the country raced towards Vision 2020 after he had delivered his talk at the BrandLaureate Lecture Series today.

"We have laws but laws will not stop people from committing crimes. It is inbuilt value systems which reject wrongdoing and crime that will work," he added.

Mahathir said law without proper enforcement will not work either and when authorities are often labeled as corrupt they will become immune to the accusations, and many good officers in the service will be hurt that they are categorised as such.

Responding to another question on the education system, he said: "The reason why we have a poor quality education system that does not inculcate good values is that teachers in the lower tiers and dropouts are teaching primary students."

"This is the time (primary school) when young minds are being shaped and good quality teachers and graduates should be put there to help them develop their thinking and to inculcate good values in them," he added.

To questions on emphasis on the use of the English language, Mahathir said the scenario in countries like Japan, Germany and France was different from that in Malaysia.

Japan’s switch from an agriculture-based economy to industries took place almost a century ago and there were not many scientific studies then, he said, adding that their scientific research was therefore done in their own language.

"We are coming from behind and do not have a history of research in science done in Malay."