Vandalism

Nowadays, as we can see around us with our bare eyes, many walls and buildings either they are new or old have been painted and drawed illegally just as at bus station and railway station. Sometimes the drawings and paintings are interesting and can be categorized as art but the way it was done is totally wrong. They must get permission from authorities initially. In Malaysia, we also can see damaged public phones around   us either the telephone receiver is broken or the keypad is. Damaging of the public phone always happen in our country. It can be seen clearly because it happens at almost places that have public phones as one of facilities in their town. Maybe most of Malaysian have hand phones as main communication tool do not mean they can damage this public facility to their heart’s content. What a rude behavior. This damaging problem makes people who have emergency problem cannot use it and aggravate circumstances. It also makes them angry because they do not have option in the mean time. Folk of Malaysia also have bad attitude during using toilet particularly in school and public toilet. They damage the toilet bowl and flush without thinking about others right. The toilet also clogged with many things that people throw away in it intentionally or unintentionally. Mostly the things are tissues and sanitary pads. Damaging and clogging make the toilet very dirty and poorly to be used. This problem also make authorities always have to repair this facility many times in a twelvemonth because toilet is a vital place for humans. Destruction of playground equipment also has been one of the bad activities that people in Malaysia like to do. Our authorities have to spend a large number of money to repair and replace the equipment at there. The children also lose place to play at and parents have to find other place for their child to play at. Other than that, damaging of mailboxes also happen but rarely in Malaysia and more in oversea because the mailboxes in Malaysia usually attach to houses. Consequences of this make the postmen have trouble where they should send the letter to the receivers. All of these occurrences are vandalism activities. 

Vandalism  , an act of damaging somebody else’s property on purpose or for no reason that is done by vandal who does this irresponsible manner. In the context of vandalism, it is done by all levels of society from a child to an old folk. They do this activity in serious and unserious level. However, this bad activity significantly done by adolescence, young people who are still searching for their direction in life and do not have much responsibilities as adults. This cases have been a challenging for authorities to solve it that usually come from loitering and ‘lepak’ activity who done and committed by teenager. Most of the teenagers are neglected, abused, poor, uneducated and idle adolescence. Family who have problems at home such as fighting in front of their children makes the children feel ruin. They have problems at home or being untaken cared child at home makes they go out and try new things and look up for friends who maybe can spend more time with but sometimes it goes wrong. This group of teenagers befriends with wrong people.

Vandalism has been a big and long-term problem that cannot be solve by authorities in quick time to lessen its consequences. Vandalism activities really irritate citizens and tourists eyes. From research that had been done, lack of civic awareness is the prime factor of vandalism especially among youth in every city in the Earth. Civic awareness do not being spread to the next generation by senior citizens or parents is a massive mistake done in citizen’s behavior aspect. Adult in this new era do not aware with the effect that will occur if children and teenagers do not apply with this vital knowledge. They are the generation that will rule our country soon. Our country will be underdeveloped and lack of value in our citizenself if this awareness do not being pervaded now. It is not just like, ‘OK, let’s just tell youngster to be more civic aware’. You have to pervade and practice it constantly without exception to anyone.

The emotional motives of the biggest group of people who do such annoying things that give bad effect to others is they think vandalism is a way to release their resent feel or a way to eliminate boredom alone. Although the motives look so light but society has to bear a great loss to satisfy their desire. They should release their wants to a better way and change their mentality about vandalism activity. They can get two benefits by doing that, one for them and one for society. At least no bad effect to society, it’s alright. They have to think a little bit before do anything whether it has bad effect or not. Youth who not have anything to do should find something interesting and beneficial for them to do during their spacious time without lose any second wasted.

Plenty of ventures have done by the authorities to stop people from do this useless activity. Other than authorities effort, we as a citizen should do the same to. If it does not stop vandalism, maybe it can reduce the effects. There are many steps that we can take to solve this problem but it must be done whole-hearted. Firstly, we have to report to the police by calling non-emergency phone line whenever we see every instance of vandalism and when we witness suspicious activity. This step can make the vandal being take action and maybe they will regret and will not do it anymore. While reporting the vandalism activity, we should personally document each instance of property with photo and dates. That action will help police to do their work more efficient. Also, each of evidence will help build a civil case against the vandal if caught, to force them to pay for the damages to the authorities.

So, we should take this vandalism activity as a serious case that will affect our livings and give numerous consequences. We also have to cooperate constantly without selfishness in our heart because Bertrand Russell, a historian, once said; the only thing that will redeem mankind is cooperation.  By hook or by crook, we have to do it properly and efficiently.