I WAS brought up with values that taught me to be responsible for my actions and their consequences.

When I was a child, I had learned that misbehaviour would usually lead to caning, in which the severity of the punishment was proportionate to the severity of what I had done.

Because of that and the fear of future punishment, I learned what not to do.

However, I was not resentful of the people who punished me, because the discipline helped me differentiate what is right and what is wrong

Put it simply, the punishment worked.

Don't get me wrong, however, as I am not saying that pain is the only way to instill discipline in our young, although it is an important factor.

Counselling is equally important.

There is concern that the boys who are to be caned may feel embarrassed, resentful and even skip school.

I believe this concern can be addressed by counselling and the school keeping a close eye on the boys.

However, counselling cannot replace punishment completely.

If only the 'soft' approach is used, the boys may become more daring and disrespectful in whatever they do next.

Also, I do not see how volunteer work, which is totally unrelated to their misdeeds, can help them understand that their actions were not acceptable.

Let's not wait until we or our loved ones become a victim of crime before we decide on the best way to instill discipline in our future generations.

Mr Ho Kum Chuen