Inspector General of Police and Home Ministry must stop playing politics and
immediately approve Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya and any other city council’s
application to establish their auxiliary police force to combat crime.
To assist the battle against crime, Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya (MBPJ) has applied to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for an auxiliary police force in Feb 2009 and had allocated RM4.3million to train and equip 100 personnel from its enforcement unit to complement the police force in PJ. However, it was rejected in 2010 based on lame excuse that the crime rate had declined and there was no need for MBPJ to have its own auxiliary police as there will be ‘overlapping functions’ with the police.
MBPJ has since applied again for auxiliary police in the city in June 2012. However, the City Council has yet to receive any response from the IGP. We are extremely disappointed that the Police force is playing politics over the set up of the auxiliary police, and refuses to give priority to the safety and security of Selangor residents.
In fact, the establishment of auxiliary police forces is one of the recommended initiatives under Najib’s Governmental Transformation Program (GTP)’s Reducing Crime NKRA. Nevertheless, Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Home Ministry have shown clear double-standards in granting auxiliary police administration approval, as requested by Police Act 1967 (Part IX, 47-50).
Double Standard Clearly Shown
There are 123 agencies administering auxiliary police operations comprising 25 government agencies, 21 statutory bodies, 32 government-linked companies (GLC) and 45 companies. GLCs such as Telekom, Tenaga and Petronas as well as private companies such as Astro, PLUS, Puncak Niaga and even Utusan Melayu are allowed to have their own auxiliary police, why should the people in PJ be deprived of the right of a safe living environment?
Most importantly, why is it that Majlis Bandaraya Johor Bahru (MBJB) and Majlis Bandaraya Melaka (MBMB) under the Barisan Nasional can have their own auxiliary police force but Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya (MBPJ) as well as other councils in Selangor under the Pakatan Rakyat are denied permission by the IGP and Home Ministry?
Residents forced to act on their own
As a result of the neglect by the IGP and the Home Minister, PJ residents are forced to take action into their own hands by paying hundreds of ringgit annually for private security barricades, boom gates and guardhouses in order to contain the level of crime in the city. Despite that, there are still helpless victims to frightening crime cases. Just a few days ago (12 Jun 2013), one of the restaurants in Taman Megah just experienced robbery by 3 men with their parang.
PJ needs to double its police force to ensure a safer environment for the residents. As of 2012, with a population of about 620,000, there are only 1,323 police officers. In another words, each police officer here needs to protect 470 residents. This police-population ratio of 1:470 is far higher than what is recommended by the Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization) optimal ratio of 1:250.
To assist the battle against crime, Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya (MBPJ) has applied to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for an auxiliary police force in Feb 2009 and had allocated RM4.3million to train and equip 100 personnel from its enforcement unit to complement the police force in PJ. However, it was rejected in 2010 based on lame excuse that the crime rate had declined and there was no need for MBPJ to have its own auxiliary police as there will be ‘overlapping functions’ with the police.
MBPJ has since applied again for auxiliary police in the city in June 2012. However, the City Council has yet to receive any response from the IGP. We are extremely disappointed that the Police force is playing politics over the set up of the auxiliary police, and refuses to give priority to the safety and security of Selangor residents.
In fact, the establishment of auxiliary police forces is one of the recommended initiatives under Najib’s Governmental Transformation Program (GTP)’s Reducing Crime NKRA. Nevertheless, Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Home Ministry have shown clear double-standards in granting auxiliary police administration approval, as requested by Police Act 1967 (Part IX, 47-50).
Double Standard Clearly Shown
There are 123 agencies administering auxiliary police operations comprising 25 government agencies, 21 statutory bodies, 32 government-linked companies (GLC) and 45 companies. GLCs such as Telekom, Tenaga and Petronas as well as private companies such as Astro, PLUS, Puncak Niaga and even Utusan Melayu are allowed to have their own auxiliary police, why should the people in PJ be deprived of the right of a safe living environment?
Most importantly, why is it that Majlis Bandaraya Johor Bahru (MBJB) and Majlis Bandaraya Melaka (MBMB) under the Barisan Nasional can have their own auxiliary police force but Majlis Bandaraya Petaling Jaya (MBPJ) as well as other councils in Selangor under the Pakatan Rakyat are denied permission by the IGP and Home Ministry?
Residents forced to act on their own
As a result of the neglect by the IGP and the Home Minister, PJ residents are forced to take action into their own hands by paying hundreds of ringgit annually for private security barricades, boom gates and guardhouses in order to contain the level of crime in the city. Despite that, there are still helpless victims to frightening crime cases. Just a few days ago (12 Jun 2013), one of the restaurants in Taman Megah just experienced robbery by 3 men with their parang.
PJ needs to double its police force to ensure a safer environment for the residents. As of 2012, with a population of about 620,000, there are only 1,323 police officers. In another words, each police officer here needs to protect 470 residents. This police-population ratio of 1:470 is far higher than what is recommended by the Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization) optimal ratio of 1:250.
Looking at the urgency of rising and more audacious crimes in PJ and the Klang Valley, we
would like to call upon the IGP and Home Ministry to immediately respond to our auxiliary
police application. They must show their sincerity to walk Najib’s talk of ‘rakyat
didahulukan’. There’s no room for politics when it comes to the people’s safety and the local
councils under Pakatan Rakyat are willing to work closely with the police to ensure that the
rakyat’s rights to live in a safe and protected environment are not compromised.
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Links to the above statement as published at:-
1. The Malaysian Insider: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/let-pj-have-own-auxiliary-police-force-says-assemblyman/
2. Malaysiakini:http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/232916
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I have also done a press conference a day earlier (12 Jun 2013) in pushing for auxiliary police force together with my PJ DAP comrades, Saudara Lau Weng San and Saudara Rajiv. R. Here are the links as reported at:
1. Free Malaysia Today: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/06/13/pj-reps-seek-approval-for-auxiliary-cops/
2. The Edge: http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/political-news/241884-dap-rep-decentralise-police-force-to-combat-crime.html
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Links to the above statement as published at:-
1. The Malaysian Insider: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/let-pj-have-own-auxiliary-police-force-says-assemblyman/
2. Malaysiakini:http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/232916
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I have also done a press conference a day earlier (12 Jun 2013) in pushing for auxiliary police force together with my PJ DAP comrades, Saudara Lau Weng San and Saudara Rajiv. R. Here are the links as reported at:
1. Free Malaysia Today: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/06/13/pj-reps-seek-approval-for-auxiliary-cops/
2. The Edge: http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/political-news/241884-dap-rep-decentralise-police-force-to-combat-crime.html
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