The people of Johor Baru and Johore state should make full use of the public hearing of the Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights in Johor Baru on Sunday, 8th July 2007 to voice out their hopes and fears about the crime situation in the southern capital and state.

The 250% exceeding of the target of the 100,000-signature campaign launched by the Johor Baru Chung Hua Association for the restoration of safety, law and order in the Johore capital, with 350,000 signatures collected from all over the country, including online, from all races, religions, classes, gender and age group, illustrates the gravity of the problem of the crime situation in JB, Johore and Malaysia.

It is commendable that the top police leadership is showing serious response, with the visit of the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Musa Hassan to Johor Baru yesterday and the Johore Chief Police Officer, Datuk Hussin Ismail himself going down to the “black areas” of crime in JB on night patrol.

There must be all-round determination that this time, the public revulsion against the high crime rate and rampant lawlessness in JB, must be a sustained and long-term commitment and not a short-term response to the public outcry. This is for the safety of all Malaysian citizens and their loved ones, tourists and investors.

The notoriety of JB as the capital of crime must be wiped out, and the self-deprecating and shameful definition that a person who had not been robbed is not a genuine resident of JB must be a thing of the past.

The Police should announce the “black areas” of crime in JB, Johore and the country which will enable the public to monitor the success of the police drive to turn them into “safe” crime-free and low-crime areas.

I hope the public hearing of the Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights in JB on July 8 can help to wipe out such a definition of a JB resident — a person who had been robbed at least once. Read the rest of this entry »

I have today faxed a letter to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi lodging the “strongest protest possible” at the most unsatisfactory reply to a parliamentary question in Malaysian parliamentary history which totally evaded the specific query posed.

My protest letter referred to Abdullah’s written reply to my parliamentary question yesterday asking “why public confidence in government ability to ensure low-crime Malaysia has reached a new low despite earlier favourable public responses to Royal Police Commission Report and to report on implementation of the commission’s 125 recommendations, in particular on IPCMC”.

In the three-paragraph written answer, Abdullah, who is also the Minister for Internal Security, said the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) had implemented the Five Year Police Strategic Plan (2007-2011) to address the problem of rising crime and public concerns about crime.

Among the programmes of the RMP Strategic Plan were the setting up of a Crime Prevention Department that involved all police stations apart from having an Internet website to be more customer-centric.

To ensure the people’s continued confidence in the police to fight crime, other programmes have also been implemented including improving the beat and patrol functions with the cooperation of other agencies like local authorities, installation of closed-circuit television camera (CCTV) systems in high risk areas and having the Rakan Cop at all state police contingents.

Abdullah also said that although the crime rate had risen in terms of statistics, the solving rate for serious crimes had also improved from 58.88 per cent in 2005 to 60.11 per cent last year.

I told the Prime Minister that “it is most shocking and totally unprecedented” that the written answer completely ignored the second part of the question asking for a status report on the implementation of the 125 recommendations of the Royal Police Commission and in particular the key proposal for the establishment of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).

This is the first time in my 33 years as Member of Parliament where there has been a clear evasion of the parliamentary question asked — in this case on the 125 recommendations of the Royal Police Commission and in particular the IPCMC proposal. Read the rest of this entry »

The Chinese media gave front-page news and photo coverage to the “show of force” of the police in Johore Baru in projecting high police visibility in crime-prone areas, including night police patrols.

This is welcome by all, not only by the long-suffering people of Johore Baru from the reign of terror from rampaging crime wave, but also by all Malaysians throughout the country — showing that the police is capable of responding to public opinion and pressures.

The visible police presence day-and-night in Johore Baru must not be a transient “PR exercise” which will be forgotten after the end of the current nation-wide outcry at police failure to control and reduce crime, but must be a permanent feature of policing not only in JB but nation-wide, especially in hot spots of crime like Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Klang, Penang and Ipoh.

As an immediate follow-up to the stepped-up police presence and visibility in the streets and public places in JB to fight crime, the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan should also announce measures to duplicate such high night-and-day police visibility in the crime “black areas” of Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Klang, Penang and Ipoh.

When over 250,000 signatures nation-wide responded to the 100,000-signature campaign launched in JB to restore safety and security, it is a clear message to the police, government, Cabinet and Parliament that the Malaysian public are not prepared to keep silent anymore to be sitting targets and victims of rampant crime and lawlessness, whether in JB or any part of the country.

The Police should commend the Malaysian public for their awareness and public-spirited response to the signature campaign, as well as praise the media, in particular the Chinese media, for their high standards of journalism in reporting the people’s legitimate cries for effective policing to control and reduce crime. Read the rest of this entry »

The Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights and Good Governance will meet on Monday and two items on top of its agenda will be the worsening crime situation in the country particularly in the crime capitals like Johor Baru and Malaysia’s inclusion by the United States Government in “Tier 3” of the worst human trafficking offenders.

The challenge of the Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights and Good Governance is to ensure that the increased police presence in Johor Baru after the spate of brutal robbery-gang rape crimes that shook the nation is not short-lived, but sustained and results in daily improvement of the crime situation in Johore and country.

The secretary of the Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights and Good Governance, Chong Eng (DAP MP for Bukit Mertajam) has proposed that the caucus visit Johor Baru to hold a public hearing to help the people of Johor Baru ensure that the war against crime will always be the priority concern of the government and police, and not when there is a public outcry after public patience had been stretched to the limit and snapped with one brutal crime after another.

Although the people of Johor Baru welcome the deployment of an additional 400 cops, 200 police vehicles and establishment of temporary police stations, an equally important question is what strategy is there to ensure the doubling of the productivity of the present 1,800-strong police contingent in Johor Baru. Read the rest of this entry »

As Parliamentary Opposition Leader, I apologise to the people of Johore Baru that Parliament had failed them abysmally in the past week to articulate their deepest fears and anxieties about their personal safety and those of their loved ones and the loss of their most fundamental citizenship right to be able to feel safe whether at home or out in the streets.

In my 33 years as Member of Parliament, I had never felt more ashamed as a MP when my urgent motion to get Parliament to debate the rampant crime and lawlessness in Johor Baru was rejected, for I felt that I had terribly let down the people of Johor Baru and Malaysia as Parliament has again proved to be utterly irrelevant and even indifferent to the most burning concerns of the people.

I had tried not once but twice in the first week of Parliament which ended yesterday to bring the crisis of public confidence in police failure to control and reduce crime to the floor of Parliament for emergency debate by way of two urgent motions, but both were rejected.

When the Speaker, Tan Sri Ramli Ngah, rejected my urgent motion yesterday, I felt a great sense of personal failure.

I also could not believe or understand why Barisan Nasonal MPs, particularly those from Johor Baru and Johore, could be so indifferent to the recent spate of brutal crimes such as robbery-cum-gang rapes that they do not want Parliament to be in the forefront to demand an immediate and concrete action plan to restore law and order to Johor Baru and wipe out its notoriety as the nation’s capital of crime.

These MPs from JB and Johore have not uttered a single word in Parliament for the whole of past week on the rampant crime and lawlessness which had become a daylight nightmare of everyone in Johor Baru and Johore? Can they explain why?

My sadness and sense of failure as an MP when my motion was rejected yesterday was compounded by two other factors:

• the media reports yesterday of another two brutal crimes in Johor Baru the day before, involving gang rapes of a Malay and Chinese girl, bearing out the truth of a media headline “Any race could be a victim”, that this is not a race or political problem but one of fundamental human and citizenship right; and
• the disappointing result of the Wednesday Cabinet meeting which did not declare anything new apart from talk of a crackdown on crime in JB, as the announcement of 400 more cops in the streets in JB and new temporary police stations had already been announced two days earlier in JB by the Health Minister, Datuk Chua Soi Lek.

What the people of JB and Malaysia want are no more verbal assurances from the Cabinet that actions would be taken but immediate and concrete action where they and their loved ones could immediately feel safe in the streets, public places and the privacy of their homes — today and tomorrow and not in the future, whether three or six months’ time! Read the rest of this entry »

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. Read the rest of this entry »

19th June 2007
Yang di Pertua,
Dewan Rakyat,
Parlimen,
Malaysia.

YB Tan Sri,

S.O. 18 motion of urgent, definite public importance: Recent brutal robbery-cum-gang rapes in Johor Baru sparking public outcry nationwide over police failure to control and reduce crime with Malaysians feeling very unsafe in the streets, public places and privacy of their homes
—————————————————–

This is to give notice under S.O. 18(2) to move a motion of urgent definite public importance for the Dewan Rakyat sitting on Thursday, 21st June 2007, as follows:

“That under Standing Order 18(1), the House gives leave to Ketua Pembangkang YB Lim Kit Siang to move a motion of urgent, definite public importance, viz Recent brutal robbery-cum-gang rapes in Johor Baru sparking public outcry nationwide over police failure to control and reduce crime with Malaysians feeling very unsafe in the streets, public places and privacy of their homes.

“In the campaign for 100,000 signatures to restore to the people of Johor Baru their fundamental right to be free from crime and the fear of crime, some 80,000 signatures have been collected from all over the country from Malaysians in a matter of three days — an expression of frustration and despair that despite repeated promises of a war against crime whether by the Prime Minister and the Inspector-General of Police, the establishment of the Royal Police Commission as well as increased allocations and salary revision for the police, the violent crime index had worsened in the past three years.

“Unless the rampant crime and lawlessness not only in Johor Baru, which has become the capital of crime of the nation, but also in the various ‘black areas” like in Klang Valley and Penang are wiped out, even Visit Malaysia Year 2007 and all programmes to attract foreign investors, especially as multi-billion ringgit Iskandar Development Region project will be undermined. Read the rest of this entry »

I will seek an urgent meeting of the Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights and Good Governance when Parliament reconvenes tomorrow over the worsening crime, particularly with Johor Baru gaining further notoriety as the capital of crime, depriving Malaysians of their most fundamental liberty of being free from crime and the fear of crime to be assured of personal safety and security, whether in the streets, public places or the privacy of their homes.

I will propose that the Parliamentary Caucus on Human Rights and Good Governance ask for a meeting with Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan for a special action plan to wipe out Johor Baru’s notoriety as the nation’s capital of crime

It is most regrettable that the Johore Police have blamed the Chinese media for the public outrage over the horrendous crimes in Johor Baru, following three shocking gang rape-cum-abduction/robbery in the last month, viz:

• Early May – 28 year old pregnant woman robbed and gang-raped in Plentong in the presence of three-year-old son, after robbers had forced their way and drove off the car at a petrol station near Tampoi where the husband had stopped to answer nature’s call.
• 5th June around 10 pm – A construction contractor and female companion at a petrol station at Pasir Gudang highway overpowered by three armed robbers who drove off with them as hostages. Both robbed and female victim gang-raped at Kempas area.
• 11th June, around 10 pm. — Armed robbery by three men who ganged-raped 19-year-old girl and her 22-year-old boyfriend could only watch helplessly because he had been slashed twice.

The police representative who turned up late for the Johore Baru dialogue yesterday held in conjunction with the 100,000-signature campaign to reduce crime and restore personal safety and property security to Johore Baru blamed the Chinese media for blowing up the crime issue, claiming that there had been a 7.9 per cent decline in incidence of crime in Johor Baru.

The Johore Police would lose all respect, credibility and confidence of the people of Johor Baru if the police authorities maintain the denial syndrome or try to dismiss and trivialize widespread public concerns and outrage over the crime situation in the Johore capital, either blaming the Chinese media or looking for other scapegoats. Read the rest of this entry »

One of my first reactions when I received news in Tokyo on Monday of the Prime Minister’s announcement of pay rise and doubling of cost of living allowances for the civil service – and in particular the 18% to 42% in the basic salary increase for the police – is whether the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) Bill will at last be presented to Parliament next month for passage to demonstrate government commitment to have a world-class police service, whether in reducing crime, professionalism, accountability or integrity.

I had given my full support both in Parliament and outside for a generous increase in police pay as Malaysians want to have a world-class police service which is professional, accountable, incorruptible and efficient in reducing crime to restore to Malaysians their fundamental citizenship right to be free from crime and the fear of crime in the streets, public places and the privacy of their homes.

The reaction of the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Musa Hassan to the “generous pay increase” has been quite euphoric, as illustrated by the headlines: “IGP: No more bribes, no more excuses” (The Sun), “IGP: No excuse for cops to take bribes now” (The Star) and “Musa: No leeway for corrupt cops” (New Straits Times).

Although the expression of Musa’s euphoric reaction is quite deplorable, as it is self-exculpatory in justifying the erstwhile police notoriety as one of the most corrupt government departments, let’s not quibble over the past but look forward to a clean, new and corruption-free future for the police service from now.

Malaysians have heard of many past announcements of “new dawns” for a professional world-class police service to keep crime low but they have all proved to be mirages. Examples of such past illusions include: Read the rest of this entry »

The “war” between the Internal Security Ministry and the Police is definitely more warlike than the “all-out war against crime” or the earlier “all-out war against corruption” announced by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The “all-out wars” against crime and corruption were just empty rhetoric but the “war” between the Internal Security Ministry and the Police have already sent sparks flying all over the country.

However, on a day when Malaysians are thoroughly disgusted and ashamed to read in the media of the RM200 million havoc at the grandiose Immigration Department headquarters at Putrajaya, where a burst pipe caused a torrent of thousands of litres of water flooding seven storeys of the building, forcing its closure and the evacuation of over 1,000 people thronging the immigration counters and the 600 immigration officers, the people are not amused at all by the ugly spectacle of the “cat-and-dog” fight between Internal Security Ministry and the Police.

Both incidents are disgraceful testimony that public service culture, standards and benchmarks have plummeted drastically in the 41-month premiership of Abdullah, with the “First-World Infrastructure, Third-World Mentality” Malaysian malaise becoming even more deeply-rooted and terminal instead of it being eradicated and replaced with a “First-World Infrastructure, First-World Mentality” mindset and ethos. Read the rest of this entry »

Two days after the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi made the call for an “all-out war against crime”, Malaysians were shaken by the revelation that there had been a 40% surge in the crime rate in Kuala Lumpur, the Federal Capital this year.

Why did crime in Kuala Lumpur surge 40% in the first three months of this year when the Police had been talking about a “zero crime” objective for the Federal capital only last November?

Malaysians can still remember reading news reports in November last year of police boasts that “there are virtually no more cases of snatch theft and wayside robbery in several crime-prone areas in the city, including the golden triangle” in Kuala Lumpur — attributed to the presence of senior police officers in patrolling the streets.

Why is the effect of the new police strategy to reduce crimes not only so short-lived but clearly counter-productive as evident from the 40% increase in Kuala Lumpur’s crime rate in the first three months of year?

Have the senior police officers been pulled out of patrolling the streets, which had been given so much publicity as the new strategy to increase police presence to fight crime? Read the rest of this entry »