Friday, November 13, 2009

UMNO: "Gated Community" is for "Exclusivity" not Crime

(Update 13/11 7pm: MP for Kota Belud has responded to this post on his blog. Free free to check it out and get a "balanced" view ;-))

We have argued the case many times in the past, provided hard facts and statistics, including comparisons with many other countries, that the state of crime in Malaysia is both real and serious. It is so serious that residents have put up boom gates all around the residential areas to check rampant crime and to increase security, despite these gates being unauthorised and in many instances technically illegal.

This issue was hotly debated in Parliament on Wednesday night when the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein was summing up the Budget Debate for his Ministry. It went to the extent that UMNO MP for Kota Belud, Dato' Abdul Rahman Dahlan arguing that residents wanting "gated communities" is to them wanting "exclusivity", and not necessarily due to crime.

The full text of the debate is available in the Hansard here from page 168. The edited section is copied below.
Tuan Lim Kit Siang [Ipoh Timur]: Minta penjelasan boleh?

Dato’ Seri Hishammuddin bin Tun Hussein: Ya.

Tuan Lim Kit Siang [Ipoh Timur]: Terima kasih Yang Berhormat Menteri. Sungguhpun kita faham kenapa ada dengan izin, rush untuk mengadakan gated community dan juga ada implikasi-implikasi yang luas oleh kerana beberapa ‘repercussion involved’. Akan tetapi bukankah rush kejar untuk mengadakan gated communities sebenarnya satu pengakuan mengenai kegagalan pihak PDRM untuk menjaga dan memastikan bahawa negara kita selamat.

Satu KPI mungkin kita boleh kembalikan kepada satu keadaan di mana tidak perlu ada gated community oleh sebab itulah tanggungjawab PDRM ada lebih banyak tempat gated community. Ini kerana kegagalan dan apakah pendekatan dalam perkara ini Yang Berhormat Menteri? [...]

Tuan Pua Kiam Wee [Petaling Jaya Utara]: [Bangun]

Dato’ Abd. Rahman Dahlan [Kota Belud]: Yang Berhormat Menteri boleh sambung sedikit? Kota Belud. Terima kasih Tuan Yang di-Pertua dan Yang Berhormat Menteri. Saya amat kecewa dengan pandangan daripada Yang Berhormat Ipoh Timur. Pandangan beliau ini...

Seorang Ahli: Sempit.

Dato’ Abd. Rahman Dahlan [Kota Belud]: Sempit dan terlalu berpolitik. Sebenarnya gated community Yang Berhormat Menteri dan Tuan Yang di-Pertua, pertamanya ia bukannya satu.. [Disampuk] Satu indicator yang menunjukkan bahawa negara kita ini seolah-olah sudah menjadi satu masalah jenayah yang berleluasa.

Pertamanya gated community ini adalah untuk exclusivity. Keduanya, Yang Berhormat Ipoh Timur saya minta perhatikan ini kadang-kadang mereka ini mahukan exclusivity, kerana ada salesman yang datang bawa lori, hantar tong gas, jual tilam. Ini adalah sebahagian daripada sebab kenapa gated community ini wujud. Jadi untuk Yang Berhormat Ipoh Timur ini Yang Berhormat Menteri [Disampuk] mengatakan bahawa ini adalah petunjuk adalah satu pemikiran yang betul-betul beku.

Tuan Pua Kiam Wee [Petaling Jaya Utara]: [Bangun] [Dewan riuh]

Dato’ Abd. Rahman Dahlan [Kota Belud]: Ini masalahnya... dan sebabnya inilah Yang Berhormat Menteri saya....[Dewan riuh]

Beberapa Ahli: [Menyampuk]

Dato’ Abd. Rahman Dahlan [Kota Belud]: Yang Berhormat Menteri sedikit sahaja lagi. Saya ingin bertanya kepada Yang Berhormat Menteri.

Seorang Ahli: Salah sangka.

Dato’ Abd. Rahman Dahlan [Kota Belud]: Apakah ini adalah permainan politik pembangkang?

Seorang Ahli: Memang.

[...]

Dato’ Seri Hishammuddin bin Tun Hussein: Terima kasih Yang Berhormat Kota Belud. Sememangnya... Memihak kepada pihak pembangkang untuk mewujudkan persepsi seolah-olah keadaan sekarang ini tidak dapat dikawal. Sama ada melalui istilah-istilah yang digunakan atau daripada segi memutar-belitkan fakta dan indeks jenayah yang telah pun dibahaskan dalam perbahasan belanjawan kali ini.

Saya bersetuju dengan Yang Berhormat Kota Belud. Bukan satu perkara sahaja yang kita ambil kira. Kita telah menyatakan lebih awal lagi bahawa pencapaian yang diutamakan tidak berkisar kepada indeks semata-mata. Ianya berkisar kepada sama ada rakyat merasakan diri mereka selamat [...]

Tuan Pua Kiam Wee [Petaling Jaya Utara]: Yang Berhormat Menteri, boleh sambung sini? Terima kasih. Saya bersetuju dengan kandungan yang diutamakan oleh Yang Berhormat Serdang dan saya ingin menjemput Yang Berhormat Kota Belud datang ke kawasan saya di Petaling Jaya Utara...[Tepuk]

Tuan Pua Kiam Wee [Petaling Jaya Utara]: ...Di mana semua taman hendak membuat gated community atas alasan satu sebab sahaja. Satu sebab sahaja [jenayah]. Gated community. Datang ke constituency saya.

Dato’ Abd. Rahman Dahlan [Kota Belud]: No.

Tuan M. Kula Segaran [Ipoh Barat]: Beranikah?

Tuan Pua Kiam Wee [Petaling Jaya Utara]: Dan cakap sama dengan penduduk di kawasan Petaling Jaya Utara. [Dewan Riuh]
I then proceeded to ask the Minister on the reorganisation of the police force, which I'll blog later.

For those residents in my constituency and all others affected by crime, and hence forced to come up with additional expenses to engage the services of guards and installation of CCTVs, boom gates etc., feel free to write to Kota Belud, and gently let him know what you think. He has his blog here, and contact details (including Yahoo! Internet Messenger) here.

It is really a reflection of how these Barisan Nasional law-makers view the state of crime in this country. Residents are installing boom gates to enjoy "exclusivity" and prevent "salesmen coming in with lorries, delivering gas cannisters and mattresses"!! And when we raise these issues relating to crime, they'll say that we are "politicising" the issue. Sigh.

14 comments:

hishamh said...

I think YB Kota Belud is confusing developed gated communities with post-development gating.

However, while I don't disagree that security is a key factor in the rise of gated communities (it's a worldwide phenomenon), the unfortunate fact of the matter is that the empirical evidence suggests that they don't do much (if at all) to reduce crime within the communities.

There are also implications on social cohesion. Some references:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2002-12-15-gated-usat_x.htm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/if/3513980.stm

hishamh said...

TBH, I'm not too worried about the investment outflow either:

http://econsmalaysia.blogspot.com/2009/10/direct-investment-balance-of-payments.html

I'm not sure comparisons with Singapore are warranted - they are a regional money centre, so financial flows will be heavier.

Unknown said...

Wait until their houses are robbed, then they will know what is crime and politicizing.
When women bag was snatched, they had the fantastic idea to say that the bag was too expensive to attract snatcher to do the outlawing. That means the victim look for it.
Whereby a young girl was raped they said the victim dress up was too exposing and sexy that invited raper to launch attack. Does it mean the pitiful victim responsible for it?
What else they can think of to fight off crime?
Government was formed from politicians, what's non-politic?
What all the law-makers suppose to do in parliament?
Chit-chatting? Is it considered politicizing?
No wonder the IGP is marked higher score in KPI record.
If the opposition law-makers cannot "politicizing", Why pay the cyber-troopers to attack them?
Look at the pro-BN blogger maliciously attacks opposition leaders, is it isn't politicizing?
What kind of mentality they possess? Pressing upon them more to carry out their duties. This is what we rakyat want to see.
Why not just work hard to fight off crimes as possible level?
Don't they know this is the job of opposition law-makers to check on them for rakyat?
We want them to work for people in efficient method to stop criminal taking place. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Can you thank them for letting me know that that my old neighbour hood of gangster dens are NOW very very exclusive! So how come I can't sell my house like in Damansara?

Anonymous said...

UMNO MP for Kota Belud, Dato' Abdul Rahman Dahlan's brain must have been dead for long time.

Gated housing estate is for SECURITY. It's SECURITY, Dumb arse!!

I think to Abdul Rahman's puny brain and his higher than thou YB status, it is for exclusivity. But to the Tom, Dick and Harry out there, it's about SECURITY.

So to this brain dead dumb arse YB Abdul Rahman, it's SECURITY, not exclusivity.

Anonymous said...

Tell the govt to give tax rebate for expenses incurred.

Tell the police to stop other irrelevant tasks they are currently doing, enforcement is lacking because they are on the take!!!

Anonymous said...

it's quality comments like
hishamh 2.16am and 2.26am above which make for worthwhile reading. it's also directly relevant to the topic in discussion.

it has meat. and purpose.

however, having said that...i'd still say the kota belud guy is intellectually-challenged. i'd like to let loose my obscenities but i respect yb tony pua too much to do that here.

i think i'll give the kota belud blog a visit now...


4RAKYAT

Justie said...

My comments:
1. there's good & bad about gated. Why gated? Security or exclusivity or can't rely on our police?
2. While main purpose is for security, developers now abuse gated to sell properties at sky rocket high bec it is gated, from security to exclusivity. So, push prices sky high.
3. RPGT should remain permanently to curb speculation (not to be flip-flop)as prices of properties have gone haywire and developers jump into bandwagon which would lead to more corruptions as developers are tempted with this exclusivity concept and handsome profits.
4. 5% would not curb speculation,.RPGT should not be abused! 5% does not serve any purpose in RPGT, it is more of a revenue to GOVT. Previously, 5% applied to foreigners but are we now regarded as foreigners??. When in need of money, Govt takes from EPF(rakyat money) and rakyat pockets. Where have all our resources gone to? Rakyat first?? Rakyat first to "kena".

Clean 1Malaysia said...

YB Tony Pua,

Another thing to propose to Parliament is our street cleanliness. Do you all notice that of late, even in effluent residentials like TTDI, the pulic roads especially those where shops are, are so filthy with stench and dirty. Another 24 x 7 filthy area is in DU & DJ where the shops are located. Go around places like in DJ shops near the petronas kiosk, always smelly and dead rats on the streets and rubbish in drains and shop fronts (filthy sights for young generations especially shops where cyber cafes are).Pls. look into this for a healthy clean future for our future generations.

Anonymous said...

They are so ignorant. We are not talking about exclusive gated development here.

We are talking about frequent break-ins causing residents to set up committees, pay & gate their communities out of necessity. For example, I live in Kota Kemuning. Many phases have now put up fences. Do you really think the residents here would do it for fun and to be exclusive? It takes away a lot of public amenities from others and it is an inconvenience to those visiting friends between phases or those going for walks too.

But what choice do we have, when we report break-ins to the police station here, they ask us "Why you guys don't have security guards ah?" or the worst one was, neighbour saw suspicious character outside her house, called the station and was told to call their 'internal security' before calling the police!

Anonymous said...

anyone wanna bet that this goons live in gated and guarded properties too?so they are looking for 'exclusivity' huh while living there.not security but in search of exclusivity.peoples champion in search of exclusivity.that doesn't make sense at all does it

YB Dato' Abdul Rahman Dahlan said...

Thank you for referring to my comments re:crime in Malaysia.

I have posted in my blog on the issue. Do visit so you can have more balanced view of what transpired in the debate. Cheers especially to my friend YB Tony Phua...

Rahman

Anonymous said...

Do visit so you can have more balanced view of what transpired in the debate.


I have, YB, and I don't see what is so balanced about it since it is mostly emotional rantings which doesn't reflect very well on you.


I would post this on your blog but I know you won't publish it. In fact, NONE of your BN MP's blog, from 1malaysia right down to the lowest member, will publish anything other than apple polishing.


Sad. If you do not wish to interact with the public, just publish a website, don't call it a blog.

Anonymous said...

have seen kota belud's "response". here's my take on this:-

1) he said kota belud not undersiege. he admitted/agreed that pj utara is. therefore, he reasoned that "to say Malaysians are living in constant fear as if the criminals were running the country is unacceptable". he has to see the WHOLE OF MALAYSIA in turmoil before he agrees to the reality/graveness of the situation.

2) kota belud also offers "Is it getting out of hand and is Malaysia utterly unsafe? Of course not.". again, refer to (1) above. kota belud agrees to only this much - "Malaysia as a whole is not crime-infested, PJ Utara is!!"
he is emphasising that urban and major towns/cities are the only ones with trouble and that his kota belud is a safe place, as it were, to live in. therefore, whatever LKS ot TNC ot TP say is not true. or not entirely true. the situation is not as bad as we thought it is, he claims.

3) kota belud also thinks along the way of development in provisions and infrastructures (e.g. more cctv, more money, more manpower etc for the police force) but he stops real far from saying that the most important "development" in the police is THEIR F-KING ATTITUDE towards their duty. whatever happened to the IPCMC? bring that back and you have, through a painful but necessary evolution, a sterling police force. now with the correct-correct-correct judiciary, anything goes. i heard rm100,000 is all it takes to amend a section39b charge to a more friendly 39a. for those of u who do not know what are 39a and 39b, go look it up. it makes a whole world of difference.

4)kota belud also suggests that vehicle theft (which according to him makes up 50% of the crime index) is NOT a crime that should worry us all; and so therefore, according to kota belud, LKS or TNC or TP or all opposition politicians (he did not mention us normal malaysian citizens) are blowing things out of proportion - all this just to discredit the govt. yes, we, ordinary malaysians, are lamenting that we do not feel safe; that we, ordinary malaysians, do not trust the police that much really; we are actually doing all these just to discredit the government. kota belud is government. the rest of us are not. so, we better shut the F up. in a way, if we do not have anyting nice to say about the government, or any of its agencies, we had better shut up.

kota belud is taking a cue bush - either u're with us or u're with the enemy. guess who's the enemy?

5) i'd like to anwer his question in the last para - "So the question is how do we manage it.".

my simple answer consists only of five simple letters in the alphabet. it's easy, really. to kota belud, repeat after me...

I...P...C...M...C.

there u go, boy. it's easy ain't it?

not the show-piece SCC (it's useless). we're talking about IPCMC. not cctvs alone, not more money/grants/provisions alone. not manpower alone.

go ask any malaysians (non-umno members). go ask even mca, mic, gerakan - privately (u know they dont dare to rub big-bro-bully-umno the wrong way; not publicly anyway).

ask ordinary (non-politician) malaysians on the streets.

then go ask your conscience. forget musang hasan for a while. we know he holds some pretty incriminating evidence re that-late-woman-whom-we-shall-not-name against your boss - that slimeball.

take off that umno facade/baggage/burden that u r carrying, for a moment. hide in a toilet, have some privacy. then search deep deep into your conscience.

and ask that question - will IPCMC help the police force? and us malaysians in general?

4RAKYAT