A Story About The Poor NS Dodger

Ahmad Hafizal, a Form Two dropout, was yesterday jailed for 14 days in lieu of his RM600 fine for skipping the National Service (NS) programme. He has been working in the paddy fields to help his divorced mother make ends meet, thus missing the NS programme. He is the first of many to be brought to court for dodging NS. His story evoked a wave of sympathy throughout the nation after seeing how poor his family was from an interview with the mother.

Earlier today, Ahmad Hafizal was freed by the police after a representative from the office of the Perlis Menteri Besar paid the fine of RM600 at a magistrate's court in Kangar.

What caught my attention was not the sympathy of a poor boy jailed for skipping NS and unable to pay the fine but what the mother, Noraini Said, had to say about the situation. It was very much in contrast of what we would expect from other parents who will vehemently defend their sons and daughters while wallowing in self-pity. Instead, she actually welcomed the sentence and wanted it to be an example for others. She also hoped that others will not use the issue of poverty as an excuse to skip the NS programme. I agree with her on this. Parents nowadays will over-protect their children even when they are in the wrong, blaming others for their misfortunes and using every single excuse available to them. Noraini Said was different, she stood for what was right even if it meant seeing her son going to jail for it. For this, I salute her.

(picture from The Star)