Police's crime statistics should be externally audited to erase public scepticism

KUALA LUMPUR: Crime statistics issued by the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) need to be externally audited to erase public doubts as to their accuracy.
Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation senior vice-chairman, Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said auditing of the statistics by an independent body would be for preventing the crime indexes issued by the security agency from being disputed or manipulated by any party. 
"The government needs to use statistics to create public awareness of the crime situation, hence to together fight crime," he said in a statement, here, today.
 Lee was commenting on Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's statement yesterday that the public still regarded the crime rate in the country as high although it had dropped by 47 per cent since the implementation of the transformation programme in 2008.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also Home Minister, said PDRM had also been recognised as the best security agency in the Asean region through the various efforts carried out in combating crime.
Lee also suggested that PDRM take immediate action on every crime report lodged and to resolve it as best they could.
"Resolved crime cases should be publicised to raise public confidence," said Lee, who also suggested that the police get closer to the community through public engagement such as with non-governmental organisations and the Rukun Tetangga.
Lee said this was to create better understanding of issues of concern to the public, especially those related to security and crime.
"There is no country that is totally-crime free. Each country has its crime statistics and there is always negative  public perception. This is not surprising but we have to fight it (crime)," he added. — Bernama