Bottom line: Asians want to feel protected

 

The police, the law, the murders, the dairy owners and us Asians.

I’ve been living in New Zealand for the past eight months. Having read the papers about recent crimes, I have wondered if Asians have been targeted because of their ethnicity? And whether calls by recent immigrants for tougher laws are based on personal experiences from their own country.

Many Asian countries have stricter laws including the death penalty – either by hanging or lethal injection. 

In Malaysia, people convicted for murder, rape or drug offences face death by hanging. 

A report by Amnesty International says that a dozen people in Malaysia were sentenced to death last year. China, Pakistan and Algeria carry out more executions than other countries. 

So for someone coming to New Zealand from parts of Asia, the anti-smacking bill would probably have come as a shock. I know I was. 

It might be unthinkable here and now, but when I was at primary school, if we got into trouble and were smacked or had our ears twisted by the teacher we’d be too embarrassed to tell our parents. They would say it served us right if we were not paying attention in class.

In Malaysia, crime is feared but also very much hated, and the laws reflect that. The mentality is that tougher sentencing deters people from breaking the law, although this does not necessarily equate to less crime. 

New Zealand, in comparison, has a legal system that takes into account the needs of the criminals.  

Organisations such as the Asian Anti-Crime group led by Peter Low have had some ‘terrific’ ideas. They support bringing in triad gangs as vigilantes. Fighting fire with fire perhaps? And if they turn on you? Perhaps the Mafia would be more accommodating.

But it is almost as ironic as unintentionally committing a crime in the process of defending yourself.  

The police have discouraged people from taking matters into their own hands. If you are robbed, the police say: “The best thing would be to get the robbers in and out as fast as you can.” 

Logically speaking, if I were held at gunpoint I would give away everything. After all, what is more important than my life? 

But these victims worked hard to earn their money, and it is an outrage for their earnings to be taken away while they are complying with the robbers. 

The question is, don’t we have a right to defend ourselves? Why don’t we just hand robbers the money the moment they walk in with a breadknife? 

As for Low and his triad ideas, he has been ridiculed by the media, which loves his juicy sound bites. 

But the average Asian, whom I suspect migrates to New Zealand to escape certain conflicts in their country, does not feel the need for such extreme ideas. 

But no country is ever free from crime - not even Singapore, where Low is from. I lived there for six years, and it is a very safe and clean place, as most visitors would confirm. However despite having a similar population to New Zealand, Singapore is much smaller geographically which makes it easier to control. 

It’s governed with tough laws and efficient policing butthey have also restricted freedom of speech, and chewing gum is banned there too.

There are also countries such as India and China where money or status can go a long way and bribery is rampant. 

The police in New Zealand are not corrupt. However, due to lack of resources, red tape, and always having to follow the rulebook, their effectiveness is sometimes diminished.

The language barrier has also alienated some in the Asian community.  We can’t really help those who can’t speak no proper English, can we? 

But does it then make them a lower priority because they are one of the minority migrants in a land of migrants?  

The Asian community does not feel protected. It is frustrated and crying out for help but they are not heard. 

Perhaps racism is also on the cards. But as the population grows, this is something that must be addressed. 

Because when the wild ideas fade from the limelight and the protests disperse, we are still left with a problem that has to be solved.