THE Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) is pleased to note that the initiatives under the Reducing Crime National Key Result Area have resulted in a significant drop in the crime index over the last three years.
The police omnipresence programme targeted in crime-prone areas like schools and shopping centres as well as the Safe City Programme have helped bring down the crime rate.
This is also the result of greater involvement by the public and civil society in working with the police to reduce crime.
However, more still needs to be done. While it is not possible to have a crime-free Malaysia — no country can ever achieve that — what is needed is for the police to be provided with resources and equipment to continue the fight against crime.
The use of information technology, intelligence gathering and police-public engagement needs to be beefed up.
What is even more important is for the police to secure greater public involvement to fight crime.
That crime still remains a fear and concern among Malaysians is not surprising given that those involved could have, at some time, been a victim or whose relatives or close friends had been the target of criminals.
Reading crime news in the media daily could also have resulted in a negative perception.
It is this fear factor that must be addressed and I believe this is a matter that is now being deliberated by Pemandu with input from MCPF and other stakeholders. We should not look at this development negatively from the point of crime prevention.
The fact that crime is a major concern is a reflection of the growing public consciousness of the need to fight crime. It also indicates that Malaysians want to see more efforts taken to tackle crime.
More and more Malaysians should come forward to participate in crime-prevention programmes and activities initiated by their residents associations, trade organisations or non-governmental organisations to increase awareness about what can and should be done to prevent crime.
The ultimate goal is to instil a crime-prevention culture in people so that no one will take safety for granted.
Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, vice-chairman, MCPF