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Press Statement

by Lim Guan Eng

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(Petaling Jaya, Wednesday): The brutal robbery, assault and rape of a young couple in Johor Baru belies the Inspector-General Police’s (IGP) boasts that effective crime prevention has caused a 8% decline in crime rate over the first quarter of the year and also seriously undermined efforts to attract RM 392 billion over the next 20 years to promote the IDR. DAP condemns the heinous crime by criminal desperados who have made Johor Baru their playground. The criminals have also shown the extent of lawlessness in the state as well as helplessness of the police force in fighting crime. 

The assault on the boy and the gang-rape of the girl has struck fear into the hearts of local residents as well as investors. What is worse is the complete indifference and irresponsibility of police officers who failed to act when the brother of the male victim sought help from a passing patrol car, who just drove off without any effort to help or save the victims. Such an irresponsible attitude is both unforgivable and unacceptable. DAP demands that the police personnel in the patrol car be immediately sacked for gross dereliction of duty. 

Two of the main issues affecting investors’ confidence in the successful implementation of the IDR are the frequent power outages and deteriorating state of crime in Johor that is spiraling out of control at an alarming rate. The government had promised to crack down on crime with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak reassuring investors in Singapore last month that the police had a proper plan in place.  

On 2 June 2007, the IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan announced that Johor’s crime rate has dropped by nearly eight per cent in the first quarter of this year compared with the same period last year. A total of 9,175 cases were reported between January and April this year — 788 cases fewer than the total number reported during the same period last year. 

Musa said the crime rate for the Johor Baru South district had dropped by nearly 13 per cent whilst Johor Baru North, too, recorded an improvement, with a decline of 7.6 per cent in the number of cases. The two district police headquarters are in the IDR. Only 10 days after Musa’s announcement, these figures of falling crime rate in Johor and Johor Baru are proven as misleading that do not reflect the actual situation the ground when such violent crimes continue to occur with such ease and frequency in Johor Baru.  

The people’s loss of confidence in the police to effectively prevent crime is the principal reason why gated communities, where housing estates are completely fenced up and patrolled by privately hired security guards, are mushrooming throughout Johor Baru.  This raises the question how can the police protect foreign investors when the police not only fail to perform but refuse to do their duty to protect the people. 

The IGP should stop misleading the public that crime prevention is effective in checking criminal activities in Johor. The time has come for the police to admit their weaknesses and draw a new plan not only to fight crime but also root out police officers who are either lazy, irresponsible in their duties or corrupt. As a first step, DAP reminds the government to establish the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) as suggested by the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Police. 

The IPCMC is required to check police abuses and improve police integrity and performance so that the people in Johor and Malaysia can live, study, work and play in a safe and secure neighbourhood free from crime. The people have a basic right to a crime free environment as taxes have been paid to form an effective police force. Failure to provide a safe and secure neighbourhood is a failure of governance that deserves severe punishment by all Malaysians in the next general elections.