Politics over crime issues?

This is the continuance of the earlier article, “Singaporeans, better stay away!”, published yesterday.

The recent outcry against so called increased in crimes could look suspiciously politically motivated, with a cunning twist. YB Lim Kit Siang and the DAP seemed to be taking this opportunity to mount so called rakyat’s anger against the UMNO / BN led Dato’ Ghani Othman’s State Government. And of course, the Police Force had always been a convenient attack by the DAP, when ever the opportunity arises.

The truth of the matter is really far for what had been perceived that has been “painted” in the rakyat’s head. In ACP Amar Singh Sidhu’su in depth analysis, presented at the Commissioner of Police / Chief Police Officer’s convention 23-34 March 2005 at the Royal Malaysian Police College stated these three eminent points (with respect to Johor):

1. On pp 15, figure # 8, Johor is the 4^th on the crime index per 100,000 population, after Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Penang

2. Johor’s crime per capita index is somewhat along the same Singapore’s national index level

3. On pp 10, figure # 6, there is no substantial increase in violent crimes since ten years ago, factored with the increase in population and influx migration of workers

Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang and Johor are all industrialized and developed area and of a more sophisticated society, Johor actually faired better than the list.

So why is it that Lim Kit Siang and the DAP is focusing on Johor and not Penang? Penang is free from voracious crime? It because Lim Kit Siang is careful not to offend the Penang voters, the target group he wants to sway into backing him in the next General Elections where as DAP has little or no hope politically in Johor anyway (its been a while since a DAP ever represented voters from Kluang!)?

The next pertinent issue is, being a predominantly (some say ‘chauvinistic’) Chinese based political party, what has the DAP done to improve and substantially increase the recruitment of the Malaysian non-Malays into the Police Force? Does the DAP feel its convenient to take pot shots against the Police Force on the pretext of “veiled racism”, where as the people who supports the DAP actually do little to make the Police Force a more formidable law enforcement agency?

The media has a very big role in this process of making the place seemed to be “unsafe”. Ever since Riong Kali took over, almost a transformation that the crime stories had been systematically hyped up, on a progression to ‘paint’ the picture crime is on the serious rise. In ACP Amar Singh’s study, it does show a rise but if factored with the population and migration pattern, it actually on the reducing per capita rate. Is the media trying to play into anyone’s political agenda with this “increased crime” ‘propaganda’?

Twenty years ago, Riong Kali himself were unable to get pass “security clearance” when he first worked for then the Deputy Prime Minister Ghaffar Baba. Close linkage to Singapore was said to be excuse. He was then summarily discharged and eventually ended working for Straits Times. In recent developments, lets all do the math ourselves where Riong Kali is in, in all these.

When carefully dissected, crime is what it was when we felt much safer back not too long ago. Of course some crime cases are more sophisticated, but then again as the society progressed, so shall all the problems inherently come with development.

At the end of the day, to minimize crime and make the place a more liveable and conducive place to live, raise a family, earn a living and eventually retire, its an effort that needs everyone’s participation. Everyone have to do their bit, like the environment, completely without exception.

Lim Kit Siang and his brand of chauvinistic DAP politics just think and conveniently blame only some people need to do their bit for security. That is purely, politics!