Assuage public concern over crime prevention — Lee
It’s rather unfortunate that the public still have negative perception about crime as statistics have shown a declining trend. Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation, senior vice-chairman
SIBU: An independent body comprising researchers and experts especially from local institutions of higher learning should be set up to address negative public perception of crime prevention despite a decrease in crime cases in the last few years.
This was suggested by Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) senior vice-chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye in the wake of a survey which revealed that the people were concerned about crime and cost of living than corruption.
While the survey showed that the public were happy with significant measures made by the government to address corruption, the fact that they were now more concerned about crime should prompt the authorities to take actions to address their concern, he pointed out.
“It’s rather unfortunate that the public still have negative perception about crime as statistics have shown a declining trend.
“There was a decline of 11.9 per cent or 11,949 cases last year compared with 2017.”
Lee noted that police recorded a total of 88,662 cases last year compared to 100,611 cases in 2017.
The 2017 crime index was actually an improvement from the previous year as it dropped by 13,186 cases or 11.7 per cent over 2016, he added.
“Malaysia also scored an overall global ranking of 25 in the world Global Peace Index last year which means that it is safe country to visit,” Lee remarked.
He believed among the main reasons for such a negative perception is the frequency which crime stories are being reported in the media.
The sharing of crime stories on social media also leads to concerns among the people as most have their own experience in being victims of crime, he said.
Lee added that the police must take appropriate and effective steps to improve public perception of safety which has remained unchanged.
At the same time, he said the police should increase their cooperation with other enforcement agencies, local communities, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and private entities to gain the confidence of the public.
“Constant engagement between the police and public is also needed as such interaction can create a bond of trust. Seeing the police on patrol for example, could help alleviate the public’s concerns on their safety.”
They should also install the Volunteer Smartphone Patrol (VSP) mobile app to help police monitor crime activities in their areas, he said.
VSP was launched on March 25, 2017 and its 1.2 million members nationwide have helped decrease the crime index nationwide.