By LOURDES CHARLES
SELANGOR police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar (pic) has a big task ensuring that crime in the state is kept in check, while bearing with public criticism over rising crime.
The state’s police strength is only 10,000 personnel members and given the state’s population of eight million this means one policeman has to protect 800 people.
Q: House break-ins, car-jackings, snatch thefts and other robberies are on the rise. People are extremely worried. How do you plan to combat such crimes?
A: We recently formed several task forces to tackle the three most feared crimes: wayside robberies, car-jackings and house break-ins.
Every district has its own task force and when crime occurs in one district the task forces in all districts will be mobilised to search for the suspects. That is why we have arrested or eliminated quite a number of armed house break-ins, car-jackings and wayside robbery gangs during confrontations and shootouts.
We have had a good measure of success for January and the beginning of February as far as these three crimes are concerned.
In fact, the crime rate for January and the first two weeks of February for all three crimes is down by 13% compared with the corresponding period last year.
We will continue to further reduce crime.
Q: How serious is the gangster problem in Selangor and how cooperative are victims or the public in providing information about these gangs?
A: We have identified several Chinese, Indian and Malay gangs operating in Kajang, Klang, Puchong and Gombak. We recently arrested several of their leaders under the Emergency Ordinance. They are now serving time in several detention centres.
We hope the public can continue to give us more information so that we can rid the state of these bad hats. The public should not be afraid of retaliation. They can SMS me or call me with information on any form of crime. I assure them I will personally look into the matter.
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My initial reaction after reading the above article when I first stumble upon it going through the paper is......crime is rising? You must understand why my initial reaction is more of a suprise rather than being alarmed as one would naturally be.
My initial reaction can be partly attributed to the fact that I am enjoying the benefits of living in a gated and guarded housing community and therefore having the privilege of being more protected and shielded as oppose to others. It is already a proven fact statistically though I do not have the actual numbers to show but with reference to a couple of articles in the past which I have read, there is indeed a mention about low crime rate in gated and guarded community or zero crime rate.
I am one of the more lucky individuals as I am blessed with the fact that where I live, I am able to boast about a record of minimal crime up until now since late 2006...apart from some undergarments being stolen by construction workers in the early years(1 case) and a house or 2 being used as hostel or accomodation for foreigners engaging in illegal activities in the most recent incident a couple months back (2 cases).
In actual fact it should be classified as zero crime since those mentioned above are petty one off incidents and in fact were quickly reported and measures taken almost immediately to prevent reoccurence.
In Taman Mutiara Puchong I am proud to say that the RA have painstakingly taken the time and effort to ensure that safety and security is the top priority from day one with the implementation of the following to date:
1) compelled developer to erect the barb-wire fencing throughout the perimeter wall fencing enclosing the entire TMP (this took more than a year of correspondences)
2) compelled the developer to replace faulty boom gate to ensure that that the security is not compromise by having an entry point without a functioning boom gate or one that is always open to all.
3) weather sheltered guard post as opposed to the umbrella system in the past, whenever there is downpour or a hot sunny day the guards will disperse to seek shelter in nearby vacant units closest to their posts.
4) floodlights in the park installed generously by MPSJ after many applications and pursuasion, the reason is because such floodlights in actual fact should have been installed by the developer but otherwise due to reasons only known to them. The park area since have become brighter and thus providing a safer environment as oppose to before being pitch black.
5) floodlight opposite the bio waste management depo opposite the nursery was installed by MPSJ after the RA send in the application to highlight the danger of the junction it poses to motor vehicles and pedestrians.
6) speed breakers outside MBF printing and TMP also installed after application to MPSJ to report danger of the curve and speeding vehicles around the bend posing a serious danger to the residents exiting from TMP onto the main road leading outto LDP.
7) close monitoring of the security vendor SOP and on many occasions replacing the said vendor when security management standards do not meet the SOP stipulated by RA. Current security vendor is the best to date (after changing vendors 5X) and the most proactive as they are willing to take criticism constructively and to improve immediately which to date have proven to be a great asset to the community.
8) barring of access cards of defaulters to ensure tighter access control to prevent any loopholes or misuse of the access cards by outsiders. The assumption here is that if you are a resident security will be a priority unless otherwise, so resident owners whould always place great emphasis on keeping their accounts updated.
9) speed breakers constructed most recently (Feb'09) to discourage speeding within the community compound with the upmost priority to protect children bicycling and crossing the roads to the park area.
Upcoming initiatives planned....
1) Dual lane entry to ease congestion and queuing time for residents gaining entry by allowing segration of visitors and properly assigned and allocated parking bays for visitors. Such an initiative will also assist in increasing the security level as visitors vetting can be done more efficiently and effectively with a dedicated entry lane just for them coupled with the properly allocated parking bays for them to park and to register at the guardhouse before gaining entry like any other gated and guarded community (closest example YTL LakeEdge)
- proposed plan above submitted to MPSJ more than a year ago but delay is due to the fact that the R & D - road and drainage of the entire TMP are yet to be handed over to MPSJ by the developer hence the limbo.
2) Additional 2-3 CCTV cameras to cover the corners of the perimeter wall, but the said CCTV system initially installed by the developer needs to be upgraded properly to facilitate additional cameras, the other complication is the electrical points which are needed to complete installation which is not provided for. Looking into the possibility of going wireless but only if affordable and justifiable.
3) Additional street lighting for TMP dark spots.
4) Lighting for each of the sheltered guard post.
With all of the above initiatives implemented and more planned, I am just happy to be staying where I am and rather than take things for granted I choose to take it as a privilege and to be a part of a community that is well managed and preserved for the betterment of all in it.
Kudos to all of my neighbours whom have served so well and unselfishly voluntarily to make TMP a safer and more secure community. Be thankful that in TMP we are not as exposed as others in Puchong or other parts of Selangor.
Note: Please do more to put in place preventive measures in your own home although we are in a gated and guarded environment.
