Critical Literacy Topic 3

Topic 3:

"If money were the only criterion by which a child's welfare can be gauged, then a baby bought for as much as RM40,000 on the black market would seem set for life. For money-rich but child-poor couples, it is a small price to pay to introduce a small life into their home. The cot is gilded, the blanket monogrammed, the college fund filled to the brim. All that's wanting is a bun in the oven. And where there is a baby-for-sale- racket, money can indeed buy happiness. And after all, why not?" (NST, March 3, 2013)

• Provide at leats two (2) premises or two (2) counter agreements for the statements based on your agreement.

First of all, what is happiness? Happiness is a mental or emotional state of well-being defined by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. A variety of biological, psychological, religious and philosophical approaches have striven to define happiness and identify its sources. Well, everyone want a happiness, happiness can be a variety of term in their normal life such as happy in playing at the playground, happy loitering with friends at the shopping complex or happy having a healthy family. But not everyone can reach that dreams due to the world modernization with a hectic schedule of their lifetime as the time goes. People don't have the time for pleasure moment with each other to spend; their life like a robot with the schedule that has been installed until can't even have a baby even though  the couple has married like 5,6  years ago. Some are just too busy with their professional life and some people are just not so excited about going through the process of having the baby itself which makes them moved to the initiatives such as child trafficking.

In my own opinion, I would like to agree that money can buy happiness, but then  after doing some research and through the process of critical thinking, my belief is that money does not buy a happiness at all. 

Based on the article called 'The Sun Daily' authored by Charles Ramendran, posted on date of 4th August 2015, state that "A 54-year-old woman, who led the syndicate and sought clients for the babies, was detained in the operation at 12pm." Which means that a baby's life has no value at all. 

Another article called 'CNN' authored by Naomi Ng, posted on January 14th, 2015, stated that "Police rescued 37 babies and a 3-year-old girl busting a child trafficking ring in eastern China's Shandong province, reported the state-run China Central Television. The newborn babies, many suffering from HIV/AIDS and malnutrition, were sold for between 50,000 yuan to 80,000 yuan ($8,000 to $12,912 dollars)." Which means that people nowadays don't care anymore toward the laws of the country and only matter the profit from the sales of the babies.


The only thing that matters now is how a person defines the happiness. If you are desperate to have a baby to own a 'happiness', then the previous paragraph is no doubt for you to own the happiness by paying a big price for a small life. Also, it is true money is almost everything we can buy but not life, that's my belief. As a conclusion, I do not agree with the statement money can buy happiness.

Not to forget, trafficking a baby is an illegal act because under the Children Act 2001 ( Child Act) - Act 611 : • Section 17 - children 's removed will be protected and safeguarded .Also, according to Bill Malaysian Crime :• anyone who is throwing the baby will be jailed for 20 years.

Reference list:

http://www.thesundaily.my/news/1509857

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/01/14/china/china-child-trafficking-bust/