‘Modern assets help China cut crime’

KUNMING (Yunnan Province, China): China drastically reduced its crime rates over the last few decades by investing a lot on developing sophisticated assets to boost security control.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pix) said China was interested to send its officers to share its experience with Malaysia in tackling terrorism issues, especially in the area of rehabilitation because like Malaysia, it was also facing problems related to terrorism, especially in northern Yunnan Province.

“With regard to rehabilitation, Malaysia too can share its experience in deradicalising detainees, which Chinese authorities can learn,” he told a press conference on the last day of his working visit to China at a hotel here yesterday.

He said although China had its own procedure in rehabilitating detainees who were terrorists, Malaysia’s approach was seen as more encompassing, covering all aspects, including psychological, involving the services of counsellors and ulama through the religious approach.

He added China’s success in reducing its crime rates was also due to its willingness to invest heavily in research and development, besides developing a solid system equipped with sophisticated assets to monitor every movement in areas seen as having high crime rates, or crime hotspots.

Ahmad Zahid said with the cooperation of the private sector, assets such as highdefinition closed-circuit television (HD CCTV) cameras and tracking CCTVs could be placed at several locations, while the government could give its enforcement personnel adequate training and ensuring a high level of discipline, besides boosting manpower.

He said China also faced problems related to drug abuse, where 51% of the prisoners were those who had committed drug-related offences.