Exasperated

And they ask where all the good students went. Some of the better ones we lose to bad influence and drugs. Others have to give up their education to take care of the family for financial reasons. And yet others we lose in senseless acts of violence. Good, intelligent, hardworking kids. Lost to us forever because sometime somewhere someone took it into their heads that it is perfectly justified in taking another person's life. I'm talking about this, of course. Adding insult to injury this school is one of the top such institutions in the country, perhaps one that may produce the next generation of enlightened Muslim scholars. Sadly, I know better now.

Violent behaviour in hostels is nothing new. Every boarding school will have its own stories of ruthless seniors ragging, bullying and pulling their weight around. This is not to say I condone it, God forbid. I went through some hard knocks of my own in my days while generally staying on good terms with the heavyweights, but not all of my friends were as lucky. Some got beaten up at night for accidentally tackling a senior's leg during a soccer match. Others just because "I don't like your face". What riles me is that (at least as far as I know) this is more of a problem where the student population is predominantly Malay. What disease infests us that we put our rational thinking (and in this case religious education) aside and hurt a person so badly both his kidneys rupture? What kind of a person are you? Do the classes and the teachings mean nothing next to your own insecurity?

As an educator, this saddens me greatly. In my line of work, you learn to appreciate the ones with the "it" factor. They may not be the brightest, but they work damn hard for their results and are usually fine students. They may be quiet, shy and even retiring, but you know when you look at them that there's a spark in there. The world will never know what Mohamad Faris would have contributed, and it is our loss. As usual, I don't expect this to lead anywhere. The hullaballoo will arise, fingers will be pointed, perhaps some sackings done.

And then it's life as normal, until the next kid dies. I can only pray we can find out the root of this and stamp it out. The Malays have enough problems with their cultural identity and achievements without us being named the gangsters and bullies of society. Or is it perhaps that we LIKE it like that, since it affords us the recognition and "glamour" good honest work simply cannot get us?

Go on, harp about your rights and your quotas. Until further notice, I am disgusted.

Al Fatihah.