Loitering Culture: Need Or Want

Abstract

Quality of life becomes an emphasis in the process to reach vision 2020. However, the loitering culture among Malaysians as early as in the primary school until the higher level institution is still be a critical issue. Therefore, this paper aimed to investigate the factors that influenced secondary school students to loitering. This research involved 261 students from two daily schools in Pahang. Among them, 159 involved in loitering activities by which it means in every 10 students, six loiter. The finding shows that the main factor for them to do loitering is to release tension, and then followed by no activity to do, having fun with friends plus no complete recreational facilities around the community. These four factors may contribute to social problems such as vandalism, young smokers and baby dumping because negative attitude will occur among them whereby, they are starting to smoke and getting involved in other negative values. Besides that, family background and school also contribute to students to start loitering. Thus, the finding of this study is hoped to provide useful information in improving the quality of life especially in the rural area whereby the number of crimes among youngsters is increasing.

Keywords : loitering culture; quality of life; social problems; student.