Review police measures to combat crimes

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw urges the Royal Police to review the measures to combat crimes in the whole country including Kuala Lumpur.

The cooperation between the people and the police is very important. There is Rakancop, which should be made more effective. Other measures such as police patrols must be improved.

Dr Tan comments on the statement by the City Criminal Investigation Department Director Datuk Ku Chin Wah who revealed yesterday that between January and April 14, 2009, there were 2,254 robberies (290 in the same period last year) and 1,206 snatch thefts (606 last year ) in Kuala Lumpur. Snatch thefts and robberies increased by 99% and 80.5% respectively.

The police have mustered 400 policemen for the month-long operation in the city to combat these crimes. The operation includes checks on motorcyclists and houses. We hope it will succeed.

In fact, the number and efficiency of police personnel must be improved. We must increase the 90,000 police personnel to 150,000. Their salaries must be commensurate with their work. We must step up the quality and racial composition of the force.

Recently, there was a spate of robberies and snatch thefts in Jinjang and Kepong including Kepong Baru. The police have more patrols. But, the residents of Kepong Baru find that the number of patrols has decreased after a while. At the end of the above operation, will the incidence of such crimes return to the previous level? We need to review the varous measures to combat these crimes such as the mechanism of cooperation between the people and the police. We shall continue to pay attention on the efforts to fight these crimes.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw