Friday, December 05, 2008

Syed Hamid Appoints Perception Expert

Over the past week, the police force as well as the Deputy Prime Minister have launched a concerted "public relations" attempt to fight the "perception" that crime is high in Malaysia, instead of fighting crime itself. They had loudly proclaimed that Malaysia is a safer place than countries such as Japan, Hong Kong and is even comparable to Singapore.

However, the exercised proved shortlived as DAP presented hard facts and information over the past few days via press conferences and in Parliament itself, that Malaysia is in not in anyway safer than Japan or Hong Kong, or even comparable to Singapore. I've blogged the research in detail here, or to quote Sdr Lim Kit Siang on his blog:
For instance, homicide per 100,000 population is 1.09 cases in Japan, 0.26 cases in Hong Kong but 2.12 in Malaysia; while rape per 100,000 population is 1.62 in Japan, 1.54 in Hong Kong while in Malaysia it is 11.47. For robbery per 100,000 population, it is 4.78 for Japan, 17.56 for Hong Kong while 90.49 for Malaysia.
Instead of taking the criticisms in the right spirit, and start to really act on crime in Malaysia, guess what our Home Minister decided to persist with his fight with "perception". I have just read in Financial Daily today that
...[t]he government intends to appoint an expert in criminal studies from a local university to do research on crime rate in the country in an effort to convince the people that the crime rate in Malaysia is lower than that in several other countries.
WHAT?! Faint(!) (If you want to faint a second time, read the report from The Star here)

Will someone be willing to pay and engage an "expert" in our local university to do a research to produce a report which will convince the Government that they are doing a terrible job in solving crime and that crime really is getting unbearable in this country?

I've provided all the relevant links and data sources for the information we have in our press statements as well as on my blog. These are the all sourced from the official government websites in Japan and Singapore. The police and Ministry just have to verify those information to obtain the "truth"!

With a Home Minister like Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, is there hope that crime will actually stop increasing, much less reducing it? I can only shake my head in absolutely and total disgust.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Of late, I observed that the word 'perception' being used very frequently by politicians. Obviously, this Botak is running out of ideas to con the Malaysian public...not that he had be dishing out brilliant ideas before!
Shallow mind clings to a Perception Image.

Anonymous said...

denial syndrome..haiz..

They will never know how fearful we are when we are walking alone in KL street especially at night..

Opps, they no need to walk isn't it? Got body guard, driver and bullet-proof car..

NEO said...

Oh good job YB,

But I think DAP should be pro-active rather than re-active.

DAP should highlighting this crime fact throgh proposal of bill in parliment to discuss the best approach to overcome the high crime rate and not just on attack on stupid comments or explaination by BN...

Anonymous said...

Fainted!!!

Syed Hamid is a real joker...

Unknown said...

Good evening Tony,

It is good that things are put in perspective in comparision with our neighbouring countries. It would be even better if PR and especially DAP would organise sessions with the public to brain storm for ideas on how to prevent and fight crimes. Got the police to participate in this sessions too. Hannah Yeoh did a good job in Subang Jaya in this respect.

For your information, my car which was parked outside my gate was broken into in the wee hours of the morning and my smart tag was stolen. My husband nearly lost his car when he was in Johor Baru recently. His car front passenger door was damaged and the car thief tried to hot wire the car but failed. The cost of repair the car lock, steering and alarm system was over RM 3,000.00

So, it is not perception but a fact that Malaysia is not safe

telur dua said...

The perception is that BN/UMNO is made up of a bunch nincompoops. Lets see them change this 'perception.'

OTL said...

Hi Tony,

A good word "perception", foreigner come invest not only look at Malaysia government data, they will do up their own research also. You can put the crime rate as low as you like, but will they trust & confident to you?

Spend money wisely!

Got problems is to solve it, not to evade.

Ask ourselves, do we dare to walk out alone at night?

Haha... With this news, only we will laugh...

yowchuan said...

Just ask any Singaporeans how safe JB is.

Syed Hamid just need to ask.

Anonymous said...

YB Tony
I'm a Singaporean and yes, I cannot believe it when the Minister said that Malaysia is almost as safe as Singapore. Just yesterday (Thursday) I saw your Home Minister shopping at Orchard Road with his family and surprising, I did not see any escort with him. This shows he feels very safe to roam the streets of Singapore but I am very sure he won't take this chance if he were to do his shopping in Johor Bahru without protection. I have many friends who encountered theft and robbery in Johor Bahru. Not too long ago, it happened to me in one popular shopping centre when my travel bag was shoplifted right inside the premises of the shop. I will feel safer walking the streets in Japan or Hongkong than in Johor Bahru, can't imagine the former is reported to be more dangerous than the latter.

KoSong Cafe said...

In case others have not noticed, the opposition leaders had to research and back up with statistics and other facts, yet it seems to fall on deaf ears.

When my daughter came back on holiday, MM Taib made a statement concerning the poor. With her research in social policies, she could see through the wrong information based on so-called statistics. It was a pity she did not have the time nor the inclination to refute him then. But then again, it would be a case of 'so what?' even if she had done it.

Our leaders still refuse to admit that the perception and opinions of others are more important than self-claimed opinions. With the perception of security, just ask any person in the street and the truth will be revealed.

Anonymous said...

Get your "numbers" published or made known to the public.

Anyway, all of us knew that when the DPM and IGP were "boasting" away that M'sia is safer than Japan and Hong Kong - it was a play on statistics.

Crime is about perception (what "bull...." was that). Ask the IGP or CID chief to walk alone at night in town and FEEL what is wrong perception. Really ostriches hiding their heads in the sand. SAD for the nation to have such police heads...

alvin lee said...

Hi Tony,

I just wonder how much it will cost to hire the "expert".

telur dua said...

This is what is known as a band-aid solution. Putting a band-aid on a gaping wound is pointless.

Botak is a mind @#$ed political zombie.

Anonymous said...

You are all bunch of pansies. There are many more countries that have worse crime rate than M'sia.

Namely, Somalia, Zimbabwee, Mexico. It is all just a case of bad perception.

M'sia always boleh wan mah!

Emily Pratt

Anonymous said...

Hi Tony

I am a Malaysian currently living in Hong Kong and i am shame to admit that i feel much safer in the streets of Hong Kong rather that in any part of malaysia. I am sure your self and may of the readers who have been to Hong Kong and perhaps may have noticed how efficient Hong Kong Police Force is. I can come back to my apartment at wee hours of the morning and i do not have to worry that i will be robbed at my door or in front of my apartment. And there is no snatch thief top snatch away hand bags !!!

The moment i am back in msia, i fear that my handbag will be snatch away anytime or someone might break in to the house or rob me at gun/knife point.

Instead of using money for research that yields no significant results, i would suggest to spent the money in crime fighting, which is more constructive and beneficial for the general msians who have to brave themselves to live in fear in their own homeland.

Anonymous said...

well..for a country like Malaysia who invented special hand bags for ladies to avoid snatch thief... another 'silly' effort made by gov to twist rakyat's mind with their unproven statements and facts..
i really hv no ideas where are we going forward if BN continues to be in charge and 'poisoned' our minds with their controlled medias, racist commentators yet, ineffective law enforcements and sometime justice system

Anonymous said...

I am also a Malaysian working in Hong Kong. I can't believe what that bald guy said. He is totally in denial, and bold enough to announce this to the M'sian people. Snacth thieves are something almost unheard of in HK. Noboy lives in fear in HK. Everybody in HK knows that they can reach home safely at 2am. Many HK people carry branded handbags on the street without worrying that they may get robbed. My auntie in JB is always super cautious everytime someone rings her door bell, and always makes sure that her gate is locked after 8pm. How safe is our country? Get real!

Anonymous said...

al-blur at his best-TALKING NONSENSE.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the post YB.

Wont be suprised if d authorities scooped so low to blackout crimereporting in msia, juz like wat was done in bkt antarabangsa the first few hours when reporters are not allowed into incident zone.
They really treat the citizens as if we are incapable of any intellect!