One common thread of the three public hearings of the Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights and Good Governance on “Fight Rising Crime” held in Johor Baru last Sunday, Petaling Jaya on Wednesday and Bukit Mertajam this morning is the palpable fear of crime which have gripped Malaysians in the hot spots of crime in the country.
Fifteen years ago, there was crime but “the fear of crime” had not surfaced in the country.
Today, in Johor Baru, Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Klang, Penang, Ipoh, the “fear of crime” have come into the lives of Malaysians making them ever fearful about their own safety and those of their loved ones in the streets, public places and even when at home, gravely degrading the quality of life of Malaysians.
Up to now, the Police have only admitted to the problem of crime but not the “fear of crime” haunting and hounding the lives of Malaysians in the hot-spots of crime. If the police is not even prepared to admit that “the fear of crime” is as real and big as the problem of crime in the hot spots of crime in the country — inter-related but separate problems – how can the police successfully reduce and wipe out the “fear of crime”?
As a first step to effectively fight crime and the fear of crime, the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan should openly admit that the “fear of crime” is a new threat which the police must target to wipe out in the battle against crime, with regular monitoring of the success of police performance on two separate measures – to reduce crime and the fear of crime.
The Seberang Prai Tengah district police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Anil Shah Abdullah must be commended for attending the Parliamentary Caucus public hearing in Bukit Mertajam this morning, where he received plaudits from several speakers.
Mohd Anil can bear testimony that there was no public animosity against the police at the public hearing but all-round goodwill and criticisms raised at the three-hour hearing were made not to run down the police force but to make it more effective and efficient to achieve its objective to maintain a safe and secure environment by reducing crime and the fear of crime.
The preparedness of the police to face public scrutiny and criticisms before the nation’s media, whether at the public hearing of the Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights and Good Governance or other forums, is an acid test, firstly as to whether the Police is prepared to end its denial syndrome that it had been fighting a losing battle against crime and the fear of crime; and secondly, that it is serious in wanting to regain public confidence and work with all Malaysian stakeholders to establish a low-crime Malaysia where the people do not live in “fear of crime”!
IGP Musa cannot lead or not qualify to lead the police force when the corruption allegations gainst him by RPK remain uncleared. He must step down in order to assist investigation.
The issue of crime is so important that the U.S. Constitution which is more than 200 years old addresses the issue in the form of the Fourth Amendment which reads:
” The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses… shall not be violated…”
“He must step down in order to assist investigation” dawsheng
In Japan, Hara-Kiri is prefer.
Congratulation to the organizers of the Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights and Good Governance on “Fight Rising Crime†held in Johor Baru last Sunday, Petaling Jaya on Wednesday and Bukit Mertajam. I know next to nothing about the actual proceeding of the Caucus but whatever it was, perhaps the organizer should consider organizing one in Sarawak especially Miri, Bintulu Sibu or Kuching.
The numerous crimes reported almost everyday in these Sarawak is just too much for these comparatively small cities / towns. What is actually happening which has now resulted in this situation? Why do I sense that the police are not capable enough to take control of the situation? Why do I sense that other government agencies do not take a heed as to where they can contribute? Are there nothing that any other government agencies could do in providing solutions? Can they not contribute even or especially long term solution which would reduce the trend of increasing crime rate? The police are either reluctant in doing anything or that they are totally bankrupt of ideas. So they need input and feedback from outside in order to really know themselves. I think the police are totally subdued by the criminals.
….//…IGP Musa cannot lead or not qualify to lead the police force when the corruption allegations gainst him by RPK remain uncleared. He must step down in order to assist investigation…//…
– Dawsheng
With respect, if every high official or politician or minister were to step down to facilitate investigation whenever RPK makes an allegation of corruption or impropriety based on his unknown and unverified sources in Malaysia Today, why there would soon be no government (except investigations everywhere), with only chaos ensuing, and we really don’t need general election to remove the BN.
Some of things RPK posted in his website were true but some of us know from first hand knowledge that many other so called “facts†he put forward were simply untrue. This is not to suggest that he intends to disseminate lies. It is just that his sources have been manipulated to feed him the wrong information so that RPK may be used as an instrument to publish unfounded innuendoes to bring down political foes!
Things are never what they seem. You only have to ask yourself who instructed the Police Commercial Crimes Investigation Department (CCID) to trace authors that spread “lies†through websites leading to the arrest of PKR webmaster Nathaniel Tan in Petaling Jaya and for what reason. Was it our IGP? Read between the lines and you’d realise that he is not the enemy of the open society and ought not be the object of our collective ire……..
The country is ailing from AIDS. Breakdown of defense systems against threats from within and without.
What about FEAR OF THE POLICE. The people do not trust the police. They fear the police. The people see the police as a tool of the UMNO government to supress and oppress them.
Unless the police find ways and means to earn the trust of the police they will never be able to ruduce the crime rate in the country. The police cannot operate in a vacum withou the help of the people.