Press Statement

by Lim Guan Eng

(Petaling Jaya, Tuesday): All the crime prevention measures announced by the government has not succeeded in keeping our children safe as the rape and murders continue. Yesterday there were more murders and rapes following the senseless murder of Lee Kean Yip in Wangsa Maju near the TAR (Tunku Abdul Rahman) College last week. In Kuantan a 25-year old woman, Ng Chiew Lin died after she was attacked by a snatch thief and in Alor Star in the small village near Kuala Nerang a 16 year old girl Nor Idayu was raped and murdered. 

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should be equally tough on police failure to stop crime as well as tough on crime by drawing up a National Crime Prevention Plan throughout the whole country to keep our children safe. DAP expresses deepest condolences and anger to the family members for the unnecessary losses they have suffered.

Talking about measures to overcome the problem is like locking the stable doors after the horses has bolted. Worse if after these measures are implemented the violent crimes continues unabated. As long as there are robbers around and the police fail to do their job, no one is safe. Talking will not solve problems when it is police action that is needed.

 MCA Youth chief Datuk Liow Tiong Lai had announced that the wing's Vanguard team would deploy about 100 members to patrol high-risk areas at night. But how many unsafe and high-risk areas can MCA Youth Vanguard team members patrol when this is the job of the police. And by doing so is this not an admission that both Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Fu Ah Kiow and the police has failed in their jobs?

The time has come for the Prime Minister in his capacity as Internal Security Minister to act now and fast but drawing up a New National Crime Prevention Plan that can make our children safe and the streets safe for Malaysians to walk. DAP proposes that the Prime Minister be as equally  tough on police failures to stop crime as they are tough on crimes”.

Those involved in crime must know that crime does not pay. Similarly the Independent Complaints and Police Misconduct Commission(IPCMC) must be set up to stop police failures to stop crime by taking action against abuse of powers, corruption and dereliction of duty.

Just as there can be no compromise with criminals, there can be no forgiveness for police who fail in their duty to prevent crime whether due to corruption, negligence or dereliction of duty. Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd. Bakri Bin Hj. Omar in his Police Day Message on 25 March 2006 said that violent crimes constituted 14.6% of 157,459 criminal cases in 2005 with the remainder being crimes against property. Snatch thefts recorded a drop of 16.63% last year as compared to 2004. Crime solved was  48.45% in 2005(highest since 1969) compared to 46.46% in 2004.

If the situation is so rosy as painted by the police, why are our children being slashed and murdered on the streets for the little money they possess? The police should examine themselves closely that such violent crimes continue because of their failures. DAP calls for an increase in salaries and benefits in police personnel to make them more motivated. At the same time, stern enforcement action must be taken against police who are corrupt or neglect their duties.

Figures on the Malaysian police website showed that the number of violent crime cases had increased every year, from 21,604 cases in 2000 to 22,133 last year. In January, the then Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Seri Chia Kwang Chye said crime was bleeding the country, with losses estimated at about RM15.3bil in 2004. 

The police should have immediate increase in manpower especially those who are patrolling the streets and fighting crime. According to a Star report the police has 90,000 men. However, less than 10,000 of them are assigned to fight crime. What are the 80,000 police personnel doing when they should be fighting crime? The police should have at least another 50,000 men to patrol the streets and fight crime effectively. The time has come to get our priorities right and give full commitment to fighting crime above all other police functions.

That is why a national crime prevention plan must be drawn that focuses not only on those who commit crime but also on police failures to stop crime, whether they are violent crimes against persons or against property, to ensure not only foreign tourists feel safe to visit Malaysia but Malaysians feel safe for our children to walk the streets.

(08/08/2006)