I WAS saddened to read a media report about elderly people being neglected and abused by their children.

An elderly friend lamented that children nowadays do not care much for their parents when the latter grow old.

It is our responsibility to take care of our aged parents, just as they were responsible for taking care of us when we were young.

If young people neglect or abuse their aged parents, their children could do the same to them when they grow old, as children model their behaviour after that of their parents.

Perhaps it is time the Government considered making it compulsory for children to provide for their parents.

Not all children will do it voluntarily.

Therefore, it could be made compulsory for them to put aside a small percentage of their pay each month for the care of their parents.

This way, if someone earns more, he or she will fork out more.

A small deduction from their pay for all the years of their parents' hard work raising them seems reasonable.

Mr Sebastian Tan

For more my paper stories click here.