SRS helps deter, reduce crimes in residential areas — Dirwana

SIBU: The Voluntary Patrol Scheme ( SRS) has been successful in deterring and reducing crime cases in residential areas, Department of National Unity and Integration state director Dirwana Azool said.

He revealed that based on a study conducted last year, 89 per cent of the respondents felt safe staying in a community where there is SRS.

“A total of 500 areas with SRS were selected for the study where 50 respondents were picked from each area,” Dirwana said when attending the Sibu division Unity Night 2018 here on Wednesday.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan officiated at the function organised by the Sibu Neighbourhood Watch Committee (Jawatankuasa Permuafakatan Rukun Tetangga Sibu).

According to Dirwana, the police have given positive response to the presence of SRS.

“According to the police, the crime index has declined in areas where there are SRS,” he corroborated, adding that 505 SRS had been set up in the state thus far.

“There are over 10,000 SRS members across the state patrolling each week to ensure security and safety of their respective residential areas.”

Dirwana also pointed out that there were 999 neighbourhood watch ( KRT) areas in Sarawak to- date, of which 92 are in Sibu.

“As a whole in KRT, there are ‘Jiran Muda’, ‘Jiran Wanita’, ‘ Tunas Jiran’ and ‘Jiran Usia Mas’,” he said.

He revealed that there are 290 ‘ Jiran Wanita’ in the state with 3,205 members, 263 ‘ Jiran Muda’ branches with 3,440 members and 333 ‘ Tunas Jiran’ with 4,125 members.