The government's current blitz against pornographic VCDs has certainly aroused a sense of dj vu amongst the discerning. Wasn't it just two or more years ago when similar action was taken against pirated VCDs and 'horse machines'?

Alas, both of these vices are still rampant. When MCA and the police led a swop on gambling dens and pirated VCDs, it only took weeks before the vice crew started operations again. This is particularly true in areas with high density of college students.

Not only has the government action failed, the operators have made themselves even more mobile. Traditional cabinet-type 'horse-machines' were disguised with smaller computers, pirated VCD sellers would operate out of their car boots.

Can't the government act to fulfil the cravings of people who enjoy pornography and gambling rather than suppressing the demand? Problems such as pornography, gambling and prostitution will never ever be stamped out by the government. Many of our regional neighbours have realised this a long time ago.

Look at Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore and Australia. To a certain extent, each respective country has turned the aforementioned vices into commodities. Even our prude neighbour Singapore has a legal and well-monitored prostitution industry.

To my knowledge Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea and Australia permits the sale of pornography. Furthermore, Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea are renowned producers of pornographic material.

Does our East Asian and Australian neighbours represent an immoral example? Have they degraded into a sinful, corrupt, blasphemous society? I think not.

They have recognised that merely waving a magic wand cannot erase certain weaknesses within society. Instead, they took the initiative to bring once underground activity into the market process.

With strict monitoring and regulations to avoid exposure to minors and other malpractices, these countries have showed that they can fulfil both their moral obligations to society by safeguarding the minors, as well as the community that desires such activities. This form of action also means less revenue for the masterminds of the underground economy.

Raiding VCD factories and street peddlers does nothing but to further prove their tenacity, and push them to hawk their wares elsewhere. Furthermore, thanks to TMnet for Streamyx, one can easily download full copies of the latest pornographic movies with ease, either via websites, newsgroups or P2P software. That's probably what the "X" in Streamyx stands for.

Vision 2020 calls for Malaysia to be a developed country. A society with a similarly developed mentality would accept that it takes all sorts of people to make up the world. The pious should tone down their moral pomposity, and realise they are not alone and therefore be tolerable to indulgers and sinners.

In many instances, many vices in society (apart from paedophilia, which warrants severe punishment) should be taken into consideration of making it into a commodity. Like it or not, the vices are here to stay. It is therefore up to the government and society to make the best of a bad situation.