My third of three urgent motions for Parliament this week was rejected by the Speaker Tan Si Ramli Ngah this morning.
My motion today is to have an urgent parliamentary debate on the recent spate of brutal robbery-cum-gang rapes in Johor Baru which had sparked public outcry nationwide over police failure to control and reduce crime with Malaysians feeling very unsafe in the streets, public places and the privacy of their homes.
I have never felt more ashamed as a MP when my urgent motion was rejected.
For the past week, Malaysians had been haunted by the spectre of rampant crime and lawlessness which had been highlighted almost on a daily basis by the brutal crimes in the nation’s capital of crime — Johor Baru.
The Cabinet yesterday discussed about the problem of crime and lawlessness in Johor Baru and the country. Everyone is concerned except Parliament!
Why is Parliament so blissfully unconcerned and indifferent about the rampant crime and lawlessness in JB and Malaysia?
All responsible and conscientious MPs regardless of party must feel very ashamed that Parliament has proved to be so irrelevant and impervious about the crying concerns of Malaysians regardless of race and religion, whether in Johor Baru or anywhere in the country — about their personal safety and those of their loved ones, not to be victims of the crime wave and lawlessness sweeping the country.
Today’s press reported another two brutal crimes in Johor Baru yesterday — gang rape of a Malay girl and a Chinese girl, bearing out the headline of Sin Chew Daily today “Any race could be a victim”!
The Cabinet was a great disappointment yesterday, as apart from newspaper headlines of Cabinet orders to crackdown on crime in JB, there was nothing new.
The announcement of 400 more cops in the streets in JB and new temporary police stations had already been announced two days earlier by the Health Minister, Datuk Chua Soi Lek.
The people of JB and Malaysia had expected more concrete action from yesterday’s Cabinet meeting but none was forthcoming.
The people of JB and Malaysia want assurances from the Cabinet that actions would be taken where they and their loved ones could immediately feel safe in the streets, public places and the privacy of their homes and not in the future, whether three or six months’ time.
The people of JB and Malaysia are tired of too many assurances of “actions to be taken” in the past, whether by the Prime Minister or the Inspector-General of Police to fight crime but which had proved to be mere empty words.
Johor Baru, as the nation’s capital of crime, should be declared a “hot spot” crime area, and there should be a three-month action plan to wipe out JB’s notoriety as the top crime spot in the country with daily public monitoring of the progress of the war against crime in JB.
#1 by optimuz on Thursday, 21 June 2007 - 1:33 pm
YB,
they will only act when one their own is raped, robbed, murdered or maimed. Otherwise, life goes on!
Besides, if the reports by RPK is true, they have every reason not to…coz it will all come back to them.
#2 by lakshy on Thursday, 21 June 2007 - 1:49 pm
maybe the crime lords behind all of this is related to the cabinet ministers! Thats why they dont do anything.
Then there is the protection money racket……….
#3 by marmitecrab on Thursday, 21 June 2007 - 2:08 pm
I just heard from a colleague of mine who hails from JB that she is now herself afraid to go to JB. The reason being that whenever she drives to JB, she uses a car with KL plates and when JB drivers see the KL plates, they will behave aggresively towards her.
I believe her because I too have encountered that before in the past. I believe that JB people are fast becoming lawless themselves and the escalation of crime in JB is due to their own kiasu-ness. So who is to blame? JB-ians of course.
And now that a few of their violent crimes have been making the headlines, they cry foul and want the govt to do something. What about other states? Selangor also has violent crimes. The mat rempit menace here is equally bad.
As far as I’m concerned, the crime wave boils down to their attitudes.
#4 by Jong on Thursday, 21 June 2007 - 2:12 pm
These are the idiots we have in our August House.They are all wasting tax-payers’ money. Downright shame.
I guess we deserve it. We put them in office, gave BN a two-third majority and they do what they like. Remember they rule this country and we have to listen to them.
Have we learn our lessons? Let’s kick all those monkeys out in the coming General Election. Enough is Enough!
#5 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Thursday, 21 June 2007 - 2:22 pm
1st Urgent Motion – Escalating crime rate in JB,
2nd Urgent Motion – Worst Human Trafficking Offender
3rd Urgent Motion – Top Cop Corruption
All 3 Urgent Motions rejected?
What does BN parliamentarians want to talk about in Parliament – joke about ‘Bocor’ women, talk shop, spin kampung tales? Just because these issues were raised or sponsored by DAP, they are deemed as non-issues!??
BN is senseless to not discuss and urgently consider appropriate actions to redeem Malaysia’s fast corroding image in the face of a laughing world. Of course, BN can always pat itself on the back just like Malaysian public universities grant itself accolades and awards in international exhibitions ‘organised and funded’ by themselves.
WORLD_class? Whirl class? Or is it Twirl class?
#6 by anodize222 on Thursday, 21 June 2007 - 2:24 pm
The Speaker and rest of the BN [deleted] in the Parliament will not debate publics concern because they know the problem is arised from their incapabilities…. giving u the chance to debate just equally to give u a chance to criticized them back….
these [deleted] is lazy and will only care fr themself…. even [deleted] is more qualified to debate in the parliament compare to them!
#7 by dawsheng on Thursday, 21 June 2007 - 2:32 pm
It is not enough if more police officers are to be send down to patrol the streets of JB. We want to see the criminals and rapist apprehended and punished for their crimes, or else all talks from the cabinet are just empty promises. When the public took the laws into their own hands the police should not blame us as we needs to protect ourselves and we will. The public will make the cabinet sorry for their ignorance. I promise.
#8 by dawsheng on Thursday, 21 June 2007 - 3:05 pm
I call for all the rape and robbery victims to stand out and make protest to cabinet for mishandling of the police force, hence jeopardise our safety and livelihood. I hope the press can support this initiative. The people of Johor Bahru must call for IGP Musa Hassan resignation. The matter cannot be put to rest until concrete plans to combat crimes is proven to be successful, with or without the police force.
#9 by sotong on Thursday, 21 June 2007 - 3:21 pm
The bottom line is bad leadership running the state or department.
Without a good, responsible, accountable, professional and competent leader/s, no amount of money or resources will make a significant difference.
#10 by sotong on Thursday, 21 June 2007 - 3:26 pm
This is the result of decades of misguided and misplaced pride and arrogant and very little/no leadership with responsibility, accountability and competency.
#11 by HJ Angus on Thursday, 21 June 2007 - 3:54 pm
I suggest the rape victim sue the government for damages since the police took so long to act during the abduction.
http://malaysiawatch2.blogspot.com/2007/06/not-so-easy-to-restore-public.html
#12 by Cinapek on Thursday, 21 June 2007 - 3:58 pm
The IGP today is talking about putting 400 FRU and GOF personnel on the streets temporarily as if it is a new brainwave. I have suggested this in the press early last year when the police trotted out the same excuse of personnel shortage when there was a hue and cry of escalating crimes.
Something like these was done in August last year in Perling after the young salesgirl was robbed and killed. I saw some of the FRU on the streets. Why were these not maintained until the crime situation has been brought under control? And why were new policemen not recruited quickly to replace the FRU and GOF if they are not to be deployed for long? What happened to the 6000(?) new recruits promised? Why were the FRU taken off so quickly and the control of the streets surrendered to the criminals? This to me is the height of irresponsibility on the part of the police and the public are now paying the price for them.
I also read about PDRM putting up temporary new police stations. I am not sure how much good that will do because one of them is sited in Nusajaya, where either the press has not reported them, or it has low crime rates because as a Johorean and living near Nusajaya, I have hardly heard of high crime rates there. With the limited resources available, one would have thought that priority should be given to other areas where there are higher crime rates. Is Nusajaya selected to pacify potential foreign investors in IDR? What about your own citizens? Don’t they count?
In this day and age of technology, stations, while useful, are not necessary. It is more important to get the policemen on the streets where they can act as a deterent. Just walk around HK. You will not fail to see policemen patrolling everywhere. There are personal tracking devices available that we can assign to individual police personnel to monitor their duties and also tracking devices can be installed in patrol cars to make sure they are moving around and not skiving off under some trees somewhere.
The IGP also spoke of the reduction in crime rates. Are we comparing apples to apples? After seeing the public spat between the police and the Deputy Internal Minister on the accuracy of the crime index for Sentul, are the stats for JB accurate? If their own boss disputes their numbers, why should we believe thier numbers? And last but not least, we are humans with families and not a statistic. If a violent crime befalls any of our family members, the whole family can be scarred for life. Crime should be discouraged before it happens, not allowing it to become a statistic.
#13 by Utopia on Thursday, 21 June 2007 - 4:11 pm
Parliment say if we don’t discuss the problems, there’ll be no problem! Tada!
BN say maybe we should debate who’ll be coming to play football with us after Man U… Idiots… Like I said, those BN MPs are worse than a 10 year-old kid!
#14 by Cinapek on Thursday, 21 June 2007 - 4:18 pm
The Speaker’s attitude is the same type of lackadaisical attitude prevailing in the PDRM. As long as it is not their own family members that are the rape or murder victims they have no urgency. The Cabinet would have also acted likewise if not for the fact the MCA felt the fury and anger of the people at the meeting in JB last Sat. and have conveyed this to the Cabinet. And the only reason the Cabinet acted as such is not so much a concern for the public’s welfare as for the potential damage this could cause to their GE results.
As for the elected representatives from Johor, I can only say that they are nothing more than a bunch of mindless morons who waste their time in Parliament and waste taxpayers’ money supporting them. Take a leaf from the Sibu MP who kicked up a row in Parliament and forced the police to take action to wipe out gangsterism there. Are these MPs waiting for their own family members to be raped and murdered before they wake up?
Speak up!!!
#15 by pwcheng on Thursday, 21 June 2007 - 6:25 pm
How the hell we had descended with a Parliamentary system where the Speaker is from the majority party. Why can’t it be a prominent personality fron a non- political entity. The present system is like you alone fighting with ten person from a family and the father is the referee.
Everything seems to be biased in this Bodohland, from getting a job to entry to institution of higher learning and from buying a house to getting a license and etc, etc. Maybe they will all perish if we level the field.
#16 by marmitecrab on Thursday, 21 June 2007 - 10:03 pm
There are many ways how we can immediately increase police presence on the streets. One of them is to divert all the police outriders/escorts of VIPs and get them to do patrol work instead. It’s such a waste of money, time and resources to see so many of them escorting the VIPs when they could be working for the rakyat instead.
Another way is to bring back the Rukun Tetangga model. Get the residents to patrol the streets and arm them with sticks/batons. Let the criminals know that enough is enough.
Finally, utilise the GOF, Rela and reserve police personnel and put every one of them on the streets. If the govt can suggest renting shops as an immediate measure to put more police beat bases to increase their presence, I don’t see why they cannot do the above.
And it’s not about building more police stations either, something our govt is fixated on, but putting a greater emphasis on personnel.
#17 by wtf2 on Thursday, 21 June 2007 - 10:55 pm
They’d probably spent time talkng about Awie’s marital problems than matters of importance.
Kampung mentality – they are the people time forgot. Keeps barking about preference to talk off the record. Don’t think they believe in transparency.
#18 by harbx on Friday, 22 June 2007 - 7:47 am
“Come and invest in JB, where your women will be raped, your cars stolen, your bags snatched and your houses broken into.”
http://www.harbx.com/archives/2007/06/johor_bahru_jb.html
#19 by whc on Friday, 22 June 2007 - 9:45 am
nowadays the ministers is more interested in how to make my my 100 milion than solving social issues.with that money they can retire with a luxurious life .
#20 by megaman on Friday, 22 June 2007 - 10:00 am
I agree wif marmitecrab …
we nd the rukun tetangga model back …
Why is it removed last time ? It was such a gd idea … citizen patrols at night can help reduce crime a lot and after that the ppl in the patrols can go for supper at the local mamak stall and create cohesiveness in the community …
1 stone kill THREE birds,
SECURITY, SOCIAL & ECONOMIC …
#21 by k1980 on Friday, 22 June 2007 - 10:25 am
The only “urgent motion” they understand is when they get stomach upset and need to rush over to the loos to pass motions…
#22 by shaolin on Friday, 22 June 2007 - 11:17 am
IGP and his polis officers’ uniforms look smart,
However their heads contain only cow dungs!
Look at JB, a city of ALL EVILS,
Brutal murders cum Gang Rapes… everywhere!!
Look at Singapore, a city of Praise,
Don’t we feel ashame of ourselves, The BODOHland?
What’s the function of the Police Force?
To protect and provide securities to the citizens,
We Don’t need Policemen to be Administrating staff all day,
And be sleeping in the Polis Stations all day long!!
When come to Crisis Analysis the Brain scores ZERO,
When come to CORRUPTION the Grey Matter scores 100%!!
#23 by Winston on Friday, 22 June 2007 - 1:54 pm
# optimuz Says:
June 21st, 2007 at 13: 33.33
YB,
“they will only act when one their own is raped, robbed, murdered or maimed. Otherwise, life goes on!
Besides, if the reports by RPK is true, they have every reason not to…coz it will all come back to them.”
True.
When a VIP’s home is broken into and the family robbed, the police will form a task force to nab the criminals.
If a ordinary member of the public is affected, more often than not, he will be just a statistic.
Even making a police report will be difficult because he’ll be sent from one police station to another.
So, it’s time to do your utmost to dump the BN government – if you value your security and future!
#24 by ihavesomethingtosay on Friday, 22 June 2007 - 10:13 pm
Thanks Kit for speaking out for us.
I am from Johor and the mere mention of BN is making more and more people down south throw up.
I had hope that your motion will not be discuss in parliament as it is only consistant with their disserious stereotype of governing and leadership, this is not the 70’s or the 80’s where people follows blindly, are easily threaten by thugs, people do think now and we are quite fed up with 50 years of apatheid style of governing and empty promises, I am waiting for Malaysians, be it Malay, Chinese or Indians from Johor, to give them a report card that’s befitting their non governance for the last 50 years, it might seemed a long time, but the sentiments in Johor is ready for a change.
we have nothing to loose to put an alternate government in power.
#25 by DarkHorse on Saturday, 23 June 2007 - 8:37 am
“Get the residents to patrol the streets and arm them with sticks/batons.” Crab
Vigilantes take the law into their own hands and this is dangerous. Soon it will lead to racially motivated killings.
#26 by ipohfly on Saturday, 23 June 2007 - 9:54 pm
While it is an utmost urgency that crime in JB needed to be busted, the security in other state should not be forgotten as well. When we have all the lights focus on Johor right now i believe some of the crime kings there would shift their attention to other places, notable KL or Penang or even Ipoh or Kuantan.
Time for a change.