Respect for rule of law

ETIQUETTE is a code of polite conduct, largely governing the way people interact and behave in society. When some members of society disobey rules and laws in broad daylight without thinking of the consequences of their actions, it affects society in many different ways. Al-Riyadh daily investigates why some members of Saudi society have no respect for the rule of law. Fatima Al-Dakheel, a Saudi nurse, said one of the biggest problems she encounters are people who come to see patients after visitation hours. “They give me a hard time insisting on seeing their patient. Some of them say they live in remote areas and have to travel long distances to get here. I usually try to convince them nicely to leave and come back during official visitation hours but most of them do not take no for an answer,” she said. When she was working in the emergency ward, Al-Dakheel said she met many patients who insisted on being admitted to the emergency unit even though their cases were not serious and they could have gone to any primary healthcare center. Some would cause a scene in the emergency room just to see a doctor. Abdulmalik Al-Olayan, a college student, said most people do not have any respect for law. “It is a sad thing that only very few people in our country care to obey the rules, whether in schools, government departments or hospitals. The majority of us cannot queue up and wait and we tend to cut in line even at a hospital. You can be driving safely on the road and someone will recklessly cut you off,” he said. “Everybody seems to care about themselves only and would do anything, including breaking the law, just to achieve their goals, even if the goal is to get home fast or go watch a soccer match,” he added. Safiya Abdulrahman, a teacher, said the most painful thing for her is the sight of people who litter even though there are trashcans everywhere. She wonders why littering has become the norm in most cities across the Kingdom. “Trash is covering every corner of our streets. Why do people litter and do not care about the importance of keeping our streets clean?” she asked. Rakan Al-Otaibi, a student counselor, said reckless drivers and drifters could be seen every day on streets. “These negative practices will not go away unless people understand that order and respect for law is a religious duty and everyone should practice it,” said Al-Otaibi. “We have to be role models for one another when it comes to using roads. The reckless practices in total disregard for other people’s safety and lives should end once and for all,” he said. Sociologist Nojood Al-Ghanem said some young men disobey the law just for fun or to show off in front of their friends.