We should love our parents the way they love us
Pearl Lee
THERE is a Chinese quote which says: "To understand your parents' love you must raise children yourself".
Some of us must go down that road to know what it's like to understand the trouble our parents have gone through to raise us.
The Penang State government recently announced that a cash incentive of RM1,000 would be given, under the Senior Citizens Appreciation Programme, to children to take care of their aged parents.
Cash for love?
The efforts by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng may seem noble and may seem to be a justified solution to many cases of parents being abandoned by their children.
But there is one part of the criteria to the "cash for love" programme that disturbs me.
An English daily had reported that "deserving Penangites would be given RM1,000 under the programme if they were named as beneficiaries upon the death of their parents".
Die for love?
Our neighbours in Singapore have the Maintenance of Parents Act, which makes it a legal obligation for children to take care off their parents.
The spirit of the act is intended to empower parents above the age of 60 who cannot support themselves to claim maintenance by legal means if necessary from their children.
About two years ago in Malaysia, there were calls by certain quarters urging Parliament to introduce a similar act to punish children (including a prison term) who abandon their parents.
Regulations for love?
Some had said that such a law would be a disgrace to Malaysians who have often claimed to be courteous and caring.
It's true. I admit that more and more Malaysians are opting to send their parents to old folks home (for many reasons) and some justifiably so. But how does one regulate that?
Guan Eng's idea for Penang would work well especially for those who may be facing financial difficulties to care for their parents.
But the system should not be abused by the unscrupulous who may see this is as another easy opportunity to make a quick buck or two, even to the extent of forcing their parents to name them as beneficiaries.
A wise man once said, "Even if I have to beg, borrow or steal to put a roof over the heads of my children, I would do it for the love of my family".
Love. I suppose, flows naturally in the veins of parents. Love is when your mum and dad wait up for you even if you come home at 3am because you're working on a breaking story. The love of a parent is unconditional and in most cases come with no deadlines, clauses, regulations or incentives.
Are we, the younger generation of Malaysians who are so caught up in the rat race, willing to do the same for our parents without there first being any reward or incentive to begin with?
Love for love anyone? [rc]
Copyright 2009 Malay Mail Sdn. Bhd
June 24, 2009
MALAYSIA: Love for love, anyone?
.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia / Malay Mail / Voices /June 24, 2009
We should love our parents the way they love us
Pearl Lee
THERE is a Chinese quote which says: "To understand your parents' love you must raise children yourself".
Some of us must go down that road to know what it's like to understand the trouble our parents have gone through to raise us.
The Penang State government recently announced that a cash incentive of RM1,000 would be given, under the Senior Citizens Appreciation Programme, to children to take care of their aged parents.
Cash for love?
The efforts by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng may seem noble and may seem to be a justified solution to many cases of parents being abandoned by their children.
But there is one part of the criteria to the "cash for love" programme that disturbs me.
An English daily had reported that "deserving Penangites would be given RM1,000 under the programme if they were named as beneficiaries upon the death of their parents".
Die for love?
Our neighbours in Singapore have the Maintenance of Parents Act, which makes it a legal obligation for children to take care off their parents.
The spirit of the act is intended to empower parents above the age of 60 who cannot support themselves to claim maintenance by legal means if necessary from their children.
About two years ago in Malaysia, there were calls by certain quarters urging Parliament to introduce a similar act to punish children (including a prison term) who abandon their parents.
Regulations for love?
Some had said that such a law would be a disgrace to Malaysians who have often claimed to be courteous and caring.
It's true. I admit that more and more Malaysians are opting to send their parents to old folks home (for many reasons) and some justifiably so. But how does one regulate that?
Guan Eng's idea for Penang would work well especially for those who may be facing financial difficulties to care for their parents.
But the system should not be abused by the unscrupulous who may see this is as another easy opportunity to make a quick buck or two, even to the extent of forcing their parents to name them as beneficiaries.
A wise man once said, "Even if I have to beg, borrow or steal to put a roof over the heads of my children, I would do it for the love of my family".
Love. I suppose, flows naturally in the veins of parents. Love is when your mum and dad wait up for you even if you come home at 3am because you're working on a breaking story. The love of a parent is unconditional and in most cases come with no deadlines, clauses, regulations or incentives.
Are we, the younger generation of Malaysians who are so caught up in the rat race, willing to do the same for our parents without there first being any reward or incentive to begin with?
Love for love anyone? [rc]
Copyright 2009 Malay Mail Sdn. Bhd
We should love our parents the way they love us
Pearl Lee
THERE is a Chinese quote which says: "To understand your parents' love you must raise children yourself".
Some of us must go down that road to know what it's like to understand the trouble our parents have gone through to raise us.
The Penang State government recently announced that a cash incentive of RM1,000 would be given, under the Senior Citizens Appreciation Programme, to children to take care of their aged parents.
Cash for love?
The efforts by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng may seem noble and may seem to be a justified solution to many cases of parents being abandoned by their children.
But there is one part of the criteria to the "cash for love" programme that disturbs me.
An English daily had reported that "deserving Penangites would be given RM1,000 under the programme if they were named as beneficiaries upon the death of their parents".
Die for love?
Our neighbours in Singapore have the Maintenance of Parents Act, which makes it a legal obligation for children to take care off their parents.
The spirit of the act is intended to empower parents above the age of 60 who cannot support themselves to claim maintenance by legal means if necessary from their children.
About two years ago in Malaysia, there were calls by certain quarters urging Parliament to introduce a similar act to punish children (including a prison term) who abandon their parents.
Regulations for love?
Some had said that such a law would be a disgrace to Malaysians who have often claimed to be courteous and caring.
It's true. I admit that more and more Malaysians are opting to send their parents to old folks home (for many reasons) and some justifiably so. But how does one regulate that?
Guan Eng's idea for Penang would work well especially for those who may be facing financial difficulties to care for their parents.
But the system should not be abused by the unscrupulous who may see this is as another easy opportunity to make a quick buck or two, even to the extent of forcing their parents to name them as beneficiaries.
A wise man once said, "Even if I have to beg, borrow or steal to put a roof over the heads of my children, I would do it for the love of my family".
Love. I suppose, flows naturally in the veins of parents. Love is when your mum and dad wait up for you even if you come home at 3am because you're working on a breaking story. The love of a parent is unconditional and in most cases come with no deadlines, clauses, regulations or incentives.
Are we, the younger generation of Malaysians who are so caught up in the rat race, willing to do the same for our parents without there first being any reward or incentive to begin with?
Love for love anyone? [rc]
Copyright 2009 Malay Mail Sdn. Bhd
