(Considering how criminals these days being bold on their act, this may look funny but it is hardly a laughing matter, especially when it is not safe to venture out these days. Psst, the whole ATM machines still get “screwed” to this day. Image source: http://www.flickriver.com)
Well, it was not a big surprise:-
Criminals have no fear of the police and are even daring enough these days to rob during dinners, weddings and funerals.
Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, who is Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) vice-chairman, said the criminals believe they won’t get caught due to poor law enforcement.
“I feel we have lagged in terms of law enforcement that strikes fear in the hearts of the criminals,” he said.
(Source)
And
A survey by the International Islamic University Malaysia’s (IIUM) Communication department has shown that crime is the number one concern among Malaysians.
IIUM lecturer Prof Datuk Seri Dr Syed Arabi Idid said the results of the nationwide study, conducted between April 6 and 14, showed that crime had surpassed economic woes as the main worry.
One out of every three adult respondents said crime had become a national problem.
(Source)
And
M. Danaletchumi pleaded with the robbers and told them her family was poor before she felt the sharp pain on her head and saw blood gushing out from her thumb.
A robber had hit the 50-year-old with the handle of a parang and cut her thumb when told there was not much money in the house.
(Source)
Criminals striking fear in broad daylight is nothing new. Even the VVIPs are not spared (if you recall this)
Some weeks ago, I badly needed a good haircut but I had been putting away the visit to my favourite barber until last week. When I finally had the time, I went over to the place and found the barber’s assistant had taken leave and there were about 4 customers waiting for their turn.
The barber busy with one of the customer, looked at me when I walked in and asked if I could come back later – there were too many customers at moment and he soon needs to take his break. So I went back, took a quick nap and a couple of hours later, I came back, hoping that there would be fewer customers by now.
As I parked my car right in front of the barbershop, I noticed a group of young motorcyclists looking at me rather suspiciously. Although I saw them and be more alert than usual, I “ignored” them as I walked into the barbershop – they seemed to be minding their own business and I knew the barber rather well.
I waited for my turn and kept looking out at the men outside, hoping they would not do anything “funny” to my car and when it came to my turn, I realized that I am the last customer for the day before the barber closes the shop for the day. Soon, there was no one in the barbershop other than me and the barber and I noticed the motorcyclists that I met earlier were still around in front of the barbershop, occasionally throwing their glances at the barbershop and one was standing quite close to my car.
Soon I realized there was silence (as the barber busied himself with the haircut) and somehow my “spidey senses” went all out high – I started imagining – I imagined a group of men rushing into the barbershop with parang and sticks. It would have been an easy pick for them – me with the key for my car right outside the shop, phone and wallet with plenty of money and the barber with his collection for the day and mind you, with no other witnesses or CCTV to catch them in the act.
Somehow the barber stopping and keep looking out at the group outside did not really help to improve the situation.
Then I heard someone opening the front door and I told myself – “damn, this was it! this was the end” My eyes quickly scanned on the barber’s table looking for any kind of weapon that I could use to defend myself – sharp scissors, shaving blades, hair oil, etc. But just then, the barber spoke out and said that he is closing the shop. Oh, another late customer wanting to get a hair-cut.
The customer smiled and then walked out without any incident but somehow I knew it was not over until the barber had done his job (and I was safely back in my car). Then I heard the shutter door coming down – the criminals are drawing down the shutter doors so that they can rob without any interruption?
Damn, again. But then it was a no, it was just the barber’s friend who had brought in some meal and kept the shutter down halfway to prevent any other customers walking in. With his friend keeping us company and the barber finishing the haircut, only then I started to feel a bit ease. The motorcyclists who I saw earlier nowhere to be seen and no one had touched my car.
This is the reality of things these days, folks and it started to be getting worse – nowadays it is even not safe even you have plenty of people around (as in restaurants and funerals). So when the Government comes back and keep saying that the rate of crime has been getting lower, one really need to question on its source and whether the police force is placing the right priority in managing its limited resources.
Not when we have this kind of nonsense:-
Student leader Mohd Safwan Anang has also been arrested by police. He was picked up at about 7pm from his house in Sungai Buloh and was taken to the Dang Wangi police station.
It is believed that his arrest is in connection with the Black 505 rally at Amcorp Mall, Petaling Jaya, on Saturday.
(Source)
Come on lah, which is a more serious concern to Malaysians out there? A bunch of people saying out aloud their opinion on the political issues in the country OR need to face violent criminals who struck without any fear or care on diners on broad daylight?
Let’s leave the play of gutter politics to the politicians and the police left to focus on the real security issues out there – the enforcement of law and ensuring that the crime rate really goes down, not merely at statistical level but also in common citizen’s perception level.
After all, if it had come to a stage when it does not feel safe to have a simple haircut, I am not sure what else can go wrong and be worse. It’s time to make criminals know that whatever they do, they can be caught and fear the consequences of breaking the law through effective policing and enforcement.
And we cannot do that without a good increase in the force on the ground, relocation of the limited resources from non-essential investigations (like the one that involves opposition politicians), perhaps more CCTVs and mobile police beats in place at crime-prone areas, a substantial increase of punishment for armed crimes (looking at the hudud laws makes a lot of sense now) and lastly perhaps banning the pesky “kapchai” (yes, the very favourite mode of transportation for snatch thieves, menacing mat rempits, armed robbers and cold blood assassins) from the roads.