The break-in of former Melaka Chief Minister’s Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Tamby Chik’s house in Kuala Lumpur confirms fears about the worsening public security situation in Malaysia and fully repudiates assurances by Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishamudin Tun Hussein Onn that one or two violent criminal incidents does not indicate rising crime in Malaysia. Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Tamby Chik’s house was reported broken into by burglars, who took away cash and a pistol.
Losing a pistol to criminals is a serious development that has dangerous public safety implications. If VIPs are also not safe, how can ordinary members of the public be safe? Datuk Seri Hishamudin indifferent dismissal of the media reports of crime is clearly irresponsible as he is insensitive not only to the suffering endured by victims but also to the real concern amongst the public about crime.
Relying solely on statistics is both lazy and wrong as Hishamudin must understand that facts and figures have no human dimension of the loss or injury suffered from criminals. In other words, whilst the facts and figures may show that that the crime index has fallen what is more important is whether an individual feels safe. Telling that one is safe just because the crime index has fallen is irrelevant when now, a woman does not feel safe in the Klang Valley just going into the car park.
Hishamudin should retract his insensitive remarks and give his full attention to the worsening crime situation before it develops into a full blown crisis. Let us not forget Bersih steering committee member Wong Chin Huat was left bloodied after being attacked while jogging in Petaling Jaya, while teacher Teoh Soo Kim, 51, was left fighting for her life after suffering severe head injuries during her abduction. A 12-year-old in Ipoh and a 20-something in Mutiara Damansara, Petaling Jaya narrowly escaped abduction in the past month, episodes that followed after the high-profile ransom case of 12-year-old Dutch national Nayati Moodliar, which gained international media coverage.
The time has come for the police not to be distracted by political directives to deal with peaceful law-abiding demonstrators or elected Pakatan Rakyat leaders and focus instead on their core duty of combating criminals. Prevention is always better than cure. DAP urges the Federal government to invest funds in public safety through using technology by installing CCTVs, supporting active community policing by voluntary patrol groups and making the police presence felt at criminal hostpots.
Lim Guan Eng
—–Mandarin Version—–
民主行动党秘书长兼峇眼区国会议员林冠英于2012年7月2日在吉隆坡发表声明：
前马六甲州首长位于吉隆坡住家遭爆窃确认了治安问题越来越严重，人民也不愿意接受内政部长拿督斯里希山慕丁敦胡申翁的保证说辞，指一、两宗暴力罪案不能代表马来西亚罪案严重。
前马六甲州首长丹斯里阿都拉欣丹比仄位于吉隆坡住家遭爆窃，确认了治安问题越来越严重，人民也不愿意接受内政部长拿督斯里希山慕丁敦胡申翁的保证说辞，指一、两宗暴力罪案不能代表马来西亚罪案严重。根据报道，丹斯里阿都拉欣丹比仄的住家遭歹徒爆窃，偷走现款及手枪。
被歹徒偷走手枪是一件严重的罪案，它将威胁公众安全。如果连这些重要人物都不安全，普通老百姓的安全又有什么保障？拿督斯里希山慕丁对媒体的罪案报道发表冷漠的言论是不负责任的，他不只对罪案受害者的痛苦不敏感，也对公众真正关心的罪案问题不敏感。
仅仅依靠数据是懒惰及错误的，希山慕丁必须明白数据不能人性化地表达罪案受害者所承受的损失及伤害。换句话说，数据可以显示罪案率下跌，但是人们是不是感觉安全更重要。如果仅仅用“罪案率已经下跌了”来告诉一个人“现在很安全”是无关痛痒的，因为现在的巴生谷，一名女性要去停车场取车都会感觉不安全。
希山慕丁应该撤回他的不敏感言论，在罪案问题变成危机前，全心关注罪案日趋严重的情况，不要忘记净选盟其中一个委员黄进发在八打灵再也跑步被袭击导致血流如注；一名51岁的老师张素金被掳劫头部受重伤还在垂死边缘；怡保一名12岁的孩童及八打灵再也一名20多岁的女性也险被掳拐，还有一宗荷兰藉男孩纳雅迪遭绑票的案件，甚至引起国际媒体的关注。
是时候让警方不受政治指示干预，把精力花在和平守法的示威者或民联领袖身上，他们应该把焦点放在打击罪案。预防胜于治疗。行动党促请联邦政府投资在维护治安的工作，安装闭路电视、资助社区自愿巡逻队、让警方出现在罪案热点。
林冠英