Children must be taught about rules

I AGREE with Jack Wong Kin Tung in ““Teach your children to obey the rules” ( The Star, Jan 16) that parents must do their part to help their children follow school rules.

As parents, we are role models and as such it is important that we do not practise “Do what I say, not do what I do” by also following rules. When we break rules, especially in the presence of children, we are giving the message that it is all right to break rules.

It is very common to see more than one child being sent to school on a motorcycle and only one pillion rider wearing a safety helmet.

The extra child or children do not wear helmets.

It is also common for motorcyclists not to stop when the traffic light turns red. This even happens when the pillion rider is a child.

The impression given to the child is that breaking rules is all right.

Maybe it is for this reason that we are seeing more could not care less indifferent and impatient motorists on the roads these days.

It is sad when a fatal accident, especially one involving a child happens. It seems that some of these fatalities could have been avoided had parents been more responsible by being strict and firm with their children and not allowing them to break the rules.

As reported in “Man crushed over son’s death” ( The Star, Nov 22), a 14-year-old teenager died in an accident while riding a motorcyle which he had borrowed.

He had even sent his mother to his grandmother’s house nearby on the day of the incident.

A 14-year-old obviously would not have a riding licence and I wonder why his parents allowed him to ride a motorcyle without a licence?

There have been other reported cases of a similar nature of parents having knowledge that their children were riding motorcycles without licences. When it comes to rules, we must be strict.

There should be no compromise. Otherwise, we will allow the “tidak apa” attitude to be a big part of our life. LEE CHENG POH Penang