http://dapmalaysia.org  

Call for the publication of the 15-point interim report of the Police Royal Commission for public debate and study on its proposals to roll back the escalating crime wave in the country to make Malaysians feel safe again in  the streets, public places and the privacy of their homes
 


Media Conference Statement
by Lim Kit Siang

(Parliament House, Thursday): During Monday’s debate on my motion of urgent, definite public importance on the worsening crime situation in the country, I had criticized the Police Royal Commission which was established to ensure that there is a world-class police service which could ensure personal safety and community security in Malaysia,   as there is an escalating crime wave in the past few months  which is an adverse reflection on the effectiveness of the commission. 

I referred to the Commission’s term of reference requiring it to submit an interim report within six months, which would be up in a month, expressing the hope that it would focus on how to roll back the crime wave so that Malaysians can feel safe again in the streets and public places, and that the report would be presented to Parliament for debate. 

In his reply, the Deputy Internal Security Minister, Datuk  Nor Omar said the Police Royal Commission had submitted the report to the government with 15 proposals and that the police had issued 16 directives as a result.

I call for the publication of the 15-point interim report of the Police Royal Commission for public debate and study on its proposals to roll back the escalating crime wave in the country to make Malaysians feel safe again in  the streets, public places and the privacy of their homes. 

 

Call on IGP to simplify procedures for police reports, such as through phone, fax, SMS, email or a fast-track system not requiring morr than 15 minutes at a police station

I have today faxed a letter to the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri  Mohamad Bakri Omar informing him that I had been a victim a second time in two parliamentary meetings of car break-ins in Petaling Jaya, with my computer notebook stolen in the second incident on Tuesday at Jalan 20/14  Paramount Garden.

In my fax,  I called on the IGP to simplify procedures for police reports, such as through phone, fax, SMS, email or a fast-track system not requiring more than 15 minutes at a police station.

My fax to Bakri said: 

“I have not lodged any police report, but am sending this as official notification and report to the police.

 “As I said at the dialogue between DAP Members of Parliament with Tan Sri and top police officers at Bukit Aman on June 14, the majority of snatch thefts are not reported to the police, making police crime statistics unreliable and unreflective of the real crime situation. 

“I can fully understand this feeling among members of the public that it is pointless  to lodge police reports about snatch thefts, thefts or car break-ins, as there is no expectation that the culprit could be caught or the stolen property recovered. Furthermore, it is regarded as a great waste of time, having to spend hours without any purpose. 

“Crime incidents should be reported so that the police can collect the statistics to help it to formulate an effective anti-crime strategy in  areas where crime incidents are becoming increasingly rampant. 

“The time has come for the police to completely simplify procedure to encourage rather than discourage crime victims to lodge police reports to enable the police to have proper crime statistics to deal with the crime situation – in cases where there is no hope of catching the culprit or recovering the stolen property. 

“In the era of IT, such victims should be able to lodge police reports through the telephone, fax, sms or email.  The Police should also conduct management reforms to ensure that police reports in such a category can be done in an efficient and swift manner, which does not require more than 15 minutes, with the minimum of hassle and inconvenience to members of the public.”

(8/7/2004)


* Lim Kit Siang, Parliamentary Opposition Leader, Member of Parliament for Ipoh Timor & DAP National Chairman