[Asia Round-up] In danger of being a nation run by thieves

Editor’s note: Followings are summaries of editorials from major Asian media on current issues.

(Photo : AP/NEWSis)

Positive reinforcement more effective than physical punishment
[Nepal, The Kathmandu Post, 05-07-2013]

Recently, in a private school in Hirminiya, Banke of mid-western Nepal, a teacher hurled a textbook at eight-year-old Ajaya Dhobi for not finishing his homework. The book hit Ajaya’s left eye, traumatizing him and severely damaging his eye to the point that he was quickly rushed to the hospital.

Initially diagnosed as a blood clot, Ajaya’s cornea turned out to have been damaged. He needed a transplant. The boy’s father filed a complaint against the school with the police in Harminiya demanding stern action against the guilty, compensation and treatment costs. The school agreed to pay 60,000 Nepali rupees (US$623) for medical costs.

In 2005, the Supreme Court called for the end of corporal punishment in schools. Even though the use of violence, both physical and psychological, by teacher and parents against children has decreased especially in urban areas, appalling incidents like Ajaya’s continue to be reported.

Violence should never be used as a teaching method. Behavior psychology studies have shown that supportive methods of teaching and positive reinforcement are far more effective. The Ministry of Education needs to adopt a zero tolerance policy towards corporal punishment and execute monitoring mechanisms not only in public, but private schools.

Of gender, weight and costs
[Pakistan, Dawn, 02-07-2013]

GoAir, a low-cost Indian airline has recently shared details on what procedures it would take to cut costs. A top GoAir official stated in an interview that among its policies, it would stop hiring male crew and only take women flight attendants aboard to reduce the weight carried. The airline’s logic was that women weigh less than male and reducing weight on board would save fuel costs.

GoAir CEO Giorgio De Roni stated that such measures were taken to counter the weakening of the rupee, which has hit the industry hard costing the airline 30 crore (US$506,670) on an annual basis. The airline has to do all it can to keep profitable.

However, GoAir’s decision and argument has caused quite a stir. Madhu Mehra, director of a Delhi-based advocacy group on gender issues, criticized the airline’s move to close doors to prospective male employees as a violation of fundamental rights to equal employment opportunities guaranteed in the Indian Constitution.

The GoAir issue is an extension of the complex gender issues in India that are not receiving the attention they deserve. Integrating men and women into equal relations in society is a daunting task for the state. But, when it comes to private companies such as GoAir, who is going to be accountable for bizarre discriminatory policies set up to overcome financial loss?

(Photo : Xinhua/NEWSis)

In danger of being a nation run by thieves
[Thailand, The Nation, 04-07-2013]

This month the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is going to select members for all provinces. Successful applicants who are “evidently honest” will serve as provincial members for four years. Their work will focus on examining and verifying the financial reports of local politicians, and on encouraging citizens with knowledge of irregularities or corruption to inform them directly.

Corruption at all levels of society continues to be a serious problem for Thailand. Public officials are regularly accused of graft, and many of them have been convicted for corruption and sentenced to terms of imprisonment or other punishment.

On the global scale, Thailand ranks dreadfully in terms of transparency. This is because there have been large-scale irregularities in government policies, often facilitated by legal loopholes, according to NACC member Klanarong Chanthick.

Corruption is not simply the result of trying to mitigate the problems caused by a low salary or high debt. For many wealthy politicians and officials now, corruption boils down to simple greed and never knowing how much is enough. Vasit Dejkunchorn, a former deputy national police chief, has called these greedy politicians “kleptocrats” and warned that, if nothing is done to rein them in, they might eventually turn Thailand into a kleptocracy – a country ruled by thieves.

With all the authorities involved taking part seriously and if responsible officials enforce the anti-graft law and other relevant legislation strictly and fairly, corruption will be reduced in the future in the least. As a matter of urgency, we should try to curb the corruption as much and as best as we can.

(Photo : AP/NEWSis)

Muslims in the UK deserve to be catered to
[UAE, Gulf News, 03-07-2013]

Recent events in Britain have seen a soldier hacked to death in the streets of London, while mobs have defaced and damaged mosques. It is a sad turn of events, given the fact that 5 per cent of the population of the United Kingdom will be observing Ramadan next week.

According to reports out of London, Channel 4 is to air the Muslim call to prayer every morning during Ramadan. While the broadcast will  come around 3am for 30 days, Channel 4 will also interrupt its regular broadcasts with a 20-second video clip to remind viewers of the prayer time. Channel 4’s decision to air the call to prayer during Ramadan is the right gesture for a nation of many faiths.

The decision has brought criticism, but the broadcaster is standing by its decision, arguing that it will appeal to young Muslims and that the 2.8 million people mark a significant percentage of the population that is not normally catered to. It is an argument that is hard to knock.

The reality is that Britain is a multicultural nation made up of many faiths and cultures. Despite recent events, UK Muslims have a right to be represented — even on the airwaves.