In the light of the recent tragic abduction and murder of poor little Nurin Jazlin Jazimin, numerous opinions have been aired and debated. Perhaps when the dust has settled, everyone should consider some concrete measures to prevent or at least reduce the occurrence of such atrocities.
Firstly, the police have to get their act together and be more proactive. How about taking a tip or two from the Americans, who established the AMBER Alert system.
Secondly, we have to vote out dense politicians who make inane and insensitive comments.
Thirdly, parents have to teach their kids to take care of themselves. This is a most unfortunate reality of today.
Fourthly, parents have to be more vigilant about their children, but without being paranoid. This is another unfortunate reality of today.
The AMBER Alert System began in 1996 when Dallas-Fort Worth broadcasters teamed with local police to develop an early warning system to help find abducted children. AMBER stands for America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response and was created as a legacy to 9-year-old Amber Hagerman, who was kidnapped while riding her bicycle in Arlington, Texas, and then brutally murdered. Other states and communities soon set up their own AMBER plans as the idea was adopted across the nation.
This is what AMBER does: When someone reports a missing child (below age 17), the police will follow a standard screening procedure. Once law enforcement has determined that a child has been abducted and the abduction meets AMBER Alert criteria, law enforcement notifies broadcasters and state transportation officials. AMBER Alerts interrupt regular programming and are broadcast on radio and television and on highway signs. AMBER Alerts can also be issued on lottery tickets, to wireless devices such as mobile phones, and over the Internet.
AMBER has been effective in recovering abducted children, and in deterring abductors. AMBER Alert cases have shown that some perpetrators release the abducted child after hearing the AMBER Alert on the radio or seeing it on television.
Find out more here.
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6 comments:
Seriously, but I know I am being overly critical. Malaysia has not been known to adopt proven systems. And even if they did adopt any system, normally (trying to crack my head to think of one successful implementation) it would end up as a white elephant.
In order for any system not to end up as a white elephant, those implementing the system and running it should be more responsible in ensuring success of these systems.
The public should also bear some responsibility in ensuring the safety of another... and in this case, children's safety, it is not only the parents. In most occassion, the public will go into hiding rather than coming forward to help.
If we were to implement AMBER alert system, the public has to play a part but... I am rather doubtful if the public here will.. as the possibility of some who might abuse the system i.e. like making false representation/ reports for their profitability or for the sake of playing sick jokes on another's misery is pretty high.
Nurin's murder is indeed very heartbreaking. How could anyone do such a cruel thing to a kid... but it is even more heartbreaking to know that this is not an isolated case. Most of these perpetrators are repeat sexual offenders... one wonders if our current system has proper records and tracking system of this repeat offenders!
Sigh... enuff's said. Sorry to vent and occupying much of your blog's comment page.
Chromozoe, I just learnt about this system from fellow nloggers Nuraina Samad and Princess Journals. I'm keeping the issue alive and have added you the Bloggers for Nurin Alert list at www.tembam.wordpress.com
Cheers
lina: Yes, definitely. The public has got to be more aware and responsible. AMBER Alert follows a strict criteria in order not to be abused. Too many false alarms will lead to the system becoming ineffective. Like the boy who cried wolf.
tembam: Hi, and thanks.
yup, i dont see any reason why such alert will not work in msia unless everybody, authorities and society, continue to have tak-apa mentality.
a lot still need to be done but lets just take that 1st step first. yes to amber/nurin alert!
A first step in the right direction. Perhaps the first step is to educate people that a case of a missing child requires a more urgent response than that of a missing adult, because children are much weaker and can't fend for themselves. People need to know why it is such a big deal.
Hi Chromozoe, jsut alerting you that the latest issue of TELL magazine is all about NURIN Alert. Blog about it and let everyone know.
Cheers.
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