(so-called) Progress of a nation

Two incidents that jarred my week:

1) The needless assault and killing of an innocent 8-year-old when she ventured out alone to the nearby 'pasar malam' to buy her favourite hair clips;

2) An attempted road-robbery (and goodness knows what else) of a cell member's sister in broad daylight en route to a posh expatriate area on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

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Didn't we just celebrate our nation's 50th birthday recently? Weren't we hailing the past 50 years as GLORY DAYS that have led us to the proud advancement of our nation?

Do these incidents sound like PROGRESS to you?

They reek of the ultimate depths of DEPRAVITY of the human race. Specifically, those of OUR country; some of whom have been referred to as our "brothers and sisters." I'm sorry, I'm not quite sure I want to share the kinship.

Like many Malaysians, I cannot help but shake my head in bewilderment at well-publicized atrocities. Only after the horrifying death of a little girl did the other two similar cases come up. (Yes, there were others before this...)

... And yet, in the crevices of my mind, I wonder at the factors that led to this sorry state of affairs. I wonder what prompted the assailants to do what they did.

Breakdown of family units? Unacceptance by their social circles?
Past sexual abuse? Indulgence into unwholesome activities?
Lack of economic equality? (Invisible lines do run between "castes" within a race.)
Ineffectiveness of the law? Unseen hands manipulating our judiciary system - and seen hands that continue to uphold them?

The irrelevance of religion, and the lack of recognition and/or reverence for an Almighty God?

Sometimes, incidents in the past say as much of our future. I'll do anything to ensure that we don't read / hear about / witness these horrific things again in the next 50 years.