Don't prioritise money only

I REFER to your front page article of today entitled "Law applies to all", and would like to bring to the attention of all interested parties that the law does not only apply to financial matters, but also to an individual's right of respect and courtesy from his fellow human beings and society in general.
In other words, there are laws that govern the social responsibilities of the individual and society at large, and which must be respected for the country to achieve the goal of being a modern and developed country.
So far, it appears, the new government is mainly concerned with money. Saving money, recovering lost money, making sure that the deal is always the cheapest deal.
However, money is not the only necessity in a person's life. He/she also has a heart to accompany the mind, and the needs of the heart, or the emotional needs are just as important as those of the mind if not more.
There is a yellow zebra crossing outside The Curve shopping malls in Damansara that is supposed to help people cross the road over to the IKEA store.
By law, vehicles are supposed to stop and let the pedestrians cross the road. Well, just put yourself at one end of the zebra crossing and wait until a car stops to let you cross the road. You will probably be there half the morning.
Equally so with the lifts in all the malls around town. Lifts are the priority of disabled people but they are crowded with young men and women who can walk very well yet will rush to get the lift. Even ministers and deputy ministers will not give priority to a wheelchair bound person when it comes to the lift.
Double and triple parking is still a big problem. It is always for "just a moment", still it is against the law. Similarly, speeding on the highways is highly condoned. Although speeding is the major cause of road accidents, there is never a police patrol to stop and fine speeding motorists.
There are countless other instances of daily life where people fail to respect the laws that are in place to protect their well-being. Maybe they do so because Malaysians are highly money-minded, and nothing will grab their attention unless it is about money.
It is unlikely that the new government's financial policy will restore Malaysia to a higher level of security unless the basic laws that govern respect, compassion, and duty of courtesy are first respected.
It has been said that God does not punish people for wrong beliefs. But he punishes them when they behave wrongly towards each other. And indeed, too many Malaysians suffer a considerable deal of disrespect and disregard for the law from their fellow citizens on a daily basis.
If the new government wants to see its policies succeed, it should pay serious thought to ensure that the basic laws of modern and developed living are respected at the grassroots level.
Marisa DEMORI
Putrajaya