Police urged to clean up system, then streets

Source TheStar

GEORGE TOWN: Police should make the process of lodging reports and taking down statements shorter and more people-friendly to encourage people to report crimes and supply information to help investigations.

“Criminals take advantages of weaknesses in the system,” said State MCA Wanita chief Tan Cheng Liang.

“But this can change if more people participate in the Rakan Cop programme and be more cooperative in aiding police investigations.

“At the same time, the police need to improve and become more professional and strict,” she said, adding that the state MCA Wanita wing was currently planning an anti-crime awareness campaign for women.

Women must learn to be highly aware and vigilant of their environment to protect themselves from criminals.

Women, who are especially easy prey to robbers and snatch thieves, must know how to react in dangerous situations.

“They should know that when they come face to face with robbers, they should not try to retaliate, especially if the robbers are armed.

“For their own safety, they should just let go of their bags or possessions,” she said.

On Monday night, former Bukit Tambun assemblyman Lai Chew Hock’s wife Thor Joo Lee was stabbed and killed when a robber snatched her bag at the front porch of her home; while on Wednesday night, state Gerakan chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan’s wife Datin Chang Lee Lee was robbed.

Women’s Centre for Change Penang executive director Loh Cheng Kooi said citizens were feeling increasingly concerned and insecure as robberies were happening in broad daylight.

She said having inadequate manpower was no longer an excuse for the police.

“The Royal Malaysian Police should focus its workforce on bigger issues, namely public safety, and make better use of its existing workforce, including its special branch policemen, to patrol, investigate, arrests criminals and curb crime.

“Selective arrests and putting people under arbitrary detention are not helping to solve our problem of rising crime rates,” she said.

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