Najib calls for collective efforts to fight crime

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak has urged the people to lend their support and play an active role in helping the police to reduce crime and maintain peace.
The prime minister said each individual should shoulder collective responsibilities to enhance the effectiveness in fighting crime. He said the people need not serve in the police force or become police volunteers to appreciate the importance of fighting crime in a holistic manner.
"For example, a town planner can plan the structure of a safe city by incorporating safety features or an architect can take into account the security concept in designing homes.
"On a personal level, a house owner can buy a home security system to prevent intruders from entering his house. This is what we need to do so that the police responsibility is shared," he said when launching the 207th Police Day celebration at the Police Training Centre (Pulapol) here today.
Najib said even though the government was committed in expanding the police force, it was impossible for the police to be in all places at all times.
"Instead, we all have a role to play. Of course, the goal of reducing the crime rate will be achieved. We have seen the police's success in reducing the crime rate by 6.16% until the end of 2013," he said.
He said despite the declining crime index, it should be in line with the level of satisfaction with police services and efforts should be continued to give a positive perception of the police to the people.
"Based on statistics, the crime index has dropped by 4.3% or 6,607 cases, violent crime has decreased by 1.9% (575 cases) and property crime has declined by 4.9% (6,032 cases)," he said.
Although the crime index has dropped, he said, the people's perception of the police is different, and this is the biggest challenge faced by the police.
Citing the need to ensure that the people are convinced with the lower crime index, Najib hoped new efforts carried out by the police would help satisfy the people as well as raise the feel safe factor and the government's confidence in the police force.
Earlier, the prime minister inspected a guard of honour and took a salute from a parade mounted by about 2,000 police personnel at the Pulapol Parade Square.
He also conferred field promotions to 23 police personnel, including Salmah Nordin, the widow of the late Corporal Aizam Raja Mohd Raja Mohd from the Klang district police headquarters patrol unit, who was killed in an ambush by a group of armed foreign nationals in Taman Sentosa, Klang, recently.
The prime minister also launched a book titled "Outreach & Engagement - the Royal Malaysian Police". – Bernama