The government should spend less on national defence and more on internal security - this was the general consensus reached at a public hearing on crime in Petaling Jaya last night.

Residents around the Klang Valley also lamented on police inability to deal with crime by foreign workers, saying that police reports were frequently directed to the Immigration Department.

About 300 residents turned up at the hearing, held by the Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights and Good Governance, to voice what they felt the government should do to curb crime.

The caucus was mooted following government admission that the national crime rate was on the increase, in major urban centres in particular.

At the hearing, many residents said resources used on intelligence gathering and administrative purposes would be put to better use by bolstering the police force's crime prevention unit.

Over three hours, 52 residents took turns to speak to a 12-member panel at the Civil Hall at the Petaling Jaya City Council.

Present were Caucus chairperson and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz and several MPs from the government and opposition.

A resident, who identified himself as an academician said there were insufficient rehabilitation programmes to help small-time criminals, such as snatch thieves. He said snatch thefts and drug abuse are linked.

Another resident, a physician, said there was no need for the government to purchase "submarines and Sukhoi jets" and said "money would be better spent" by employing more police to deal with crime.

No more external threats

Several other residents also called for a reduction in national defence expenditure and to boost expenditure on internal security.

"There are no external threats anymore. The last external threat was Konfrontasi [Indonesia threatening invasion in the 1960s]. We have gone into the jungles and exterminated the Communist insurgency. Do you know how hard that was? Why can't we deal with internal security now," said one resident.

A Puchong resident said police reports against illegal immigrants in his area were bogged down by inefficiency, adding that he was directed to the Immigration Department.

Another resident from Petaling Jaya, who said he was robbed twice and mugged six times, felt that the "rampant" increase in crime was due to the lack of policing power.

He cited a recent report by the government that only seven percent of the police 100,000 strong force, were deployed for crime prevention.

"There is tremendous fear now. It does not feel like we live in a free country anymore," he said. He wanted the police to publicly identify "black areas."

A resident from Taman Desa, along Jalan Klang Lama, said residential guardhouses have "substantially" contributed to crime prevention. He asked the caucus to legally allow the setting up of guardhouses. Guardhouses, which cordon traffic along public roads, are considered illegal by local authorities.

A Petaling Jaya resident wanted to know how snatch thieves come about.

"Why are they doing this? Why are they willing to lose their lives? There is police apathy to snatch theft cases. There is an air of indifference. It feels that the police are overwhelmed."

He felt that snatch thieves "have no jobs" and that the government "should do something to give them self-esteem" and "a meaningful life."

A residents' association member from Subang Jaya, felt that it is "no longer safe" outside gated communities. She said the police should co-operate more with associations.

Top of the agenda

A Puchong resident felt otherwise, saying gated communities is not a solution.

"We don't need to live as though there is an Emergency. Everyone is fenced up, everyone is putting up gates. Except in Putrajaya, where it is relatively safe because of the police presence," he said.

He said there is a need for the police to increase more manpower within the police's crime investigation department.

"PDRM should put crime prevention at the top of its agenda. Leave PR (public relations) to the politicians. I want to feel safe. I don't want to be told to feel safe," he said.

A Klang resident lamented that the police are unable to deal with crime committed by foreigners. He said there was a lack of co-ordination between the police and the Immigration Department.

"There are many foreigners working and living in my area. The Indonesians, The Bangla[deshis] and the Myanmar[rese] workers all use foreign prostitutes that are brought in. They use buku tiga lima (racketeering). The police can't do anything," he said.

A Damansara resident complained of illegal racers. He said the police are not equipped to deal with the young bikers, who usually travel in large convoys.

"These Mat Rempits travel in groups of twenty or more. I once saw a case where the police released them because of slackness and loopholes," he said. The resident called for an increase of policing manpower.

A Bukit Bintang resident, identifying himself as a PKR division chief, complained that police power was being diverted to controlling protests:"Why do thousands of police only turn up when we protest?"

A Kelana Jaya resident said that living "near important people" did not prevent his house from being burglarised.

The resident, a contractor, also said that the Immigration Department did not have records of his workers, who are foreign. He called for the government to "keep track" on foreign workers. He also said there is a lack of co-ordination between the police and the Immigration Department.

A retired officer from the Royal Malaysian Air Force and the son of former police officer said the government should create an auxiliary force consisting of recently retired police personnel.
They said the police officers can receive a stipend in addition to their pensions.

A Petaling Jaya resident, who identified himself as vice-president of PKR, said the onus is with the ruling government to reduce crime.

"Although I see half the panel consist of Opposition and the other half from BN ... [but] the ruling government must take responsibility [to reduce crime] and income disparity," he said. He said too much police manpower - citing 40,000 personnel - was used for gathering intelligence and keeping tab on political parties.

That's a waste of police resources, he added.

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