>> MIM Speaks
APPRECIATING A GOOD SET OF VALUES
AUG 18, 1996 -
THE STAR
MALAYSIA is fast moving into the forefront among developing
countries. The rapid change that is taking place in all
sectors of the economy is baffling. The need to keep up with
the latest, while appreciating and holding on to good values
of old becomes imperative to every citizen.
This need to have a balance, nurture good values and to stop
and think falls squarely on our country's youth.
Malaysian youths have been exposed to camps, weekend training
and the various activities conducted by uniformed movements
such as Boy Scouts, Girl Guides and Red Crescent, as well as
courses conducted by various religious bodies.
The fast pace of change and the tendency of today's youth to
while away time or adopt foreign values has prompted the
Government to embark on its Rakan Muda project. This project
intends to keep youths involved in activities ranging from
silat to mountain climbing to art, and at the same time
inculcate good values in them.
Our youths today are bombarded by the electronic media, be it
the radio, TV or Internet. Music clothes, fast-food,
mannerisms and colloquialisms are taking hold of the young.
While one cannot condemn all and sundry, it is time we had a
good look at what we are picking up, as against what we are
giving up, losing or forgetting.
This includes the appreciation and respect for the elderly,
the spirit of giving, sharing and receiving, a thirst for
knowledge and continual learning, the love for nature and the
environment, a willingness to serve the community, the love of
God, all of which are some good values that seem to be giving
way to the new.
The new spirit seems to encompass joining the rat race,
acquiring wealth at all costs, to be brash and aggressive,
selfish etc-in short, becoming mere clones worship ping the
ringgit.
Our youths need to be shown and helped to imbibe the good
values we already have. A programme recently conducted by MIM
called Tryla (Tun Razak Youth Leadership Awards), set aside a
part of its programme to help a group of youths experience
some of these values.
MIM, in conjunction with the Royal Malaysian Navy,
successfully conducted the 10-day programme aimed at
developing both the mental and physical abilities of the
participants, and preparing them to be leaders in 2020.
Special emphasis was placed on the need to share, co-operate
and have the communities' interests at heart. One part of the
programme, called "a community project", aimed to develop the
participants' awareness of how certain issues, eg drug abuse,
pollution, care for the aged and those with special needs,
were taken care of by the local communities.
As an added test of their ability to negotiate and "survive",
participants forming groups of 12 were given only RM4 each for
transport, lodging and food.
The five groups, composing youths between the ages of 20 and
30 had interesting endeavours. Two groups set off for Pulau
Pangkor, spending RM3.50 on the ferry, leaving them with 50
sen each for one day and night.
The two groups joined forces and somehow persuaded the local
police chief to let them stay in an old balai. The groups took
the opportunity to interview the policemen and their family as
well.
With their accommodation taken care of, they carried out the
study, living on biscuits for lunch. In the evening, some
skilful negotiation and sad stories won over some women's
hearts. They managed to get fried rice, vegetables and fish
for 10 people at a grand total of RM5. Not wanting to shock
the rural mums, the groups had divided into two again, with
the second one persuading another to fry meehoon for 10
people.
This group witnessed the growth of hotels, beside zinc roofed
50-year-old houses. It was a study of contrasts between the
old and new.
Another group working around Sitiawan managed to obtain some
young coconuts for lunch while a family willingly cooked
dinner for them. This group slept at the village hall. They
had ample time to mingle with the villagers and obtain their
views on the topics concerned. Another group in Lumut managed
to eat durians for lunch, courtesy of a sympathetic villager.
Many of the participants were experiencing a "new" kind of
hospitality, observing that everything need not be money-based
and that there is still much goodwill around.
It made the participants appreciate all the more the issues
they were writing on. In fact, the participants were
witnessing modernity and tradition interplaying in varying
degrees in the lives of those people. Thus, it was not
surprising that their presentations were good and
forceful-they had a soul.
As a further development in the appreciation of the above
factors, participants of Tryla '96 have been encouraged to
participate in the MIM's Young Executives Competition on the
theme Tradition versus Modernity.
This competition gives young executives an opportunity to
demonstrate and present to a panel of judges their knowledge,
experience, professional excellence, creativity and a feeling
for the community in the understanding and practice of
management.
Teams composed of three persons can participate, and a report
in the form of a written presentation of between 4,000 to
5,000 words is expected on the given theme.
It is hoped that this endeavour would in a small way help
youths to see the impact of modernisation while appreciating
the good in tradition.
Registration for the MIM Young Executives Competition closes
on 30 Aug. For further information, please contact MIM
Faculty, Shirley or Rowena at 264-5255 ext 263.
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