The fallacy of harsh punishments
Heavier punishments cannot solve abject poverty, ignorance, inequality and exploitation that in turn lead to discontent, crime and disorderliness.
By TK Chua
Unless the poor are helped, the hungry fed, and the unemployed given jobs, it will always be seen as controversial to dish out heavy punishments on those who commit petty crimes and personal sins. Whatever the polemics, one can always argue that some crimes are committed out of necessity or circumstance.
If there is inequality in society, it is even more dangerous to dish out heavy punishments when we cannot be sure the prosecution, the evidence adduced, and the judgement dispensed with are above board and credible.
When a nation is inflicted with systemic malfeasance like mega corruption, grand larceny, poor governance and abuse of power, the focus to impose heavier punishments on petty crimes and personal sins is frankly quite misplaced.
I have issued this challenge before, and I am doing it again – name me a country where social order and lower crime rates are achieved through heavier and harsher punishments.
Heavier punishments can’t solve abject poverty, ignorance, inequality and exploitation that in turn lead to discontent, crime and disorderliness.
Religions and religious authorities must get their priorities right. They must help the government build a more caring and humane society. They must help to reduce inequality and exploitation, not accentuate these through ill-conceived notions and ideas.
If a society is burdened with hatred and discontentment, imposing harsher punishments on pretty crimes and personal sins is only going to make the people more spiteful.
Can we not be so adamant and obstinate? Can we not be so sure ours is the best approach to building a better society for all?
Please don’t get me wrong. I am not advocating unbounded Western liberalism here. All I ask for is more careful consideration of what we intend to do which should be based on studies, facts and empirical evidence elsewhere. Doctrines, dogmas and bigotries are not going to get us anywhere.
Adopting a holier than thou attitude is dangerous.
Malaysia is a very well-endowed country. We can together make this a great country without resorting to harsher punishments as the only means to curtail or reduce crimes and sins.
We must help, cajole and direct the government to get rid of the bigger problems. We must help to dispense with more compassion, mercy, love and care among our people. Once that is done, the smaller problems will take care of themselves.
TK Chua is an FMT reader.
With a firm belief in freedom of expression and without prejudice, FMT tries its best to share reliable content from third parties. Such articles are strictly the writer’s personal opinion. FMT does not necessarily endorse the views or opinions given by any third party content provider.
Stay current - Follow FMT on WhatsApp, Google news and Telegram