SINGAPOREANS
CONTINUE TO BE VICTIMS OF JOHOR BAHRU CRIMES
Friday, July 1, 2012
Singaporean businesswoman Rita Zahara was driving her family back to
Singapore at about 1 am when she stopped near Jalan Tun Abdul Razak to buy
fruits from a roadside stall, while her children and maid waited in the car.
Two men armed with guns and knives hijacked her car. Intense negotiation with
the criminals ensued and she eventually found her family safe in Ulu Tiram. The
criminals escaped with her car and valuables.
Monday, July 4, 2012
Singaporean Affendi Mamat was at a
brightly lit petrol kiosk at Jalan Tebrau, Johor Bahru, just across the road
from the police headquaters at 2 am, when two men got into his Hyundai Sonata
and ordered him to drive. The robbers pointed a gun and a knife at him and
ordered him to drive off where he was dumped with his hands tied at a road side
near Kota Tinggi, some 140km away. The criminals escaped with his car.
Thursday, July 7, 2012
Sin Min Daily News reported about Singaprean part-time tutor David Lim
who was robbed at gunpoint in Perrmas Jaya Johor Bahru at 10.45pm when he met
three men who appeared to be interested in buying the laptops he was selling
online.
To digress a little, all the above cases
involved Singaporeans. Malaysians too are victims of Johor Bahru crimes. The Star newspaper July, 4 reported :
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
In a daring heist outside the Johor police headquarters, a group of
aremed men smashed the windows of a car and grabbed a bag said to contain
RM100,000. The men were armed with steering locks.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
A bodyguard was shot fivetimes before robbers escaped with RM100,000 from
a moneychanging outlet at Holiday Plaza, Johor Bahru.
Its been a successful and
prosperous July for criminals !
Anyway, coming back to the recent cases of Singaporeans who had fallen
victims to criminals, last Saturday, the Johor police held a press conference
to announce that they had arrested three suspects and recovered Rita Zahara’s
Nissan Sunny. According to Johor CPO Dato Mokhtar Mohd Shariff, the three
suspects were arrested in Felda Ulu Tebrau area and the police also seized a
pump gun with three bullets, two pistols, one police badge, among aothers.
Apparently this gang is believed to have been behind 14 other crimes in Johor,
including vehicle theft, robbery and drug offences. Two other male suspects are
still on the run.
At the press conference, Dato Mokhtar also released figures on the number
of crimes against Singaporens :
2009 : 413 cases
2010 : 320 cases
2011 : 400
cases
2012 ( Jan –June) : 216 cases
(A simple interpretation of the statistics would reveal that ONE
Singaporean is a victim of crime EVERY DAY in Johor Bahru ! )
The Johor Police must be commended for their quick action in apprehending
the criminals and resolving the recent carjacking and attemted kidnapping case
involving Rita Zahara and her family members. Dato Mohktar has described the
criminals as “retarded and moronic “. Harsh words indeed. Still, what”s really
needed are not merely harsh words but effective policing.
A few months ago, again after a wave of crimes particularly snatch-theft
cases, there was a sudden visible presence of police in the city centre. In
fact there was a visible presence of police walking the streets and particularly
at bus-stops during the rush hours. There were even some temporary police post.
Well, it would seem that they have all tapered off.
Perhaps, YDH Dato’ CPO Johor can for a start give statistics as to how
many CCTV have been installed ( and of course functioning) in Johor Bahru year
on year from 2008.
Also, how effective have the police “scrambler motorbike” unit been as a
crime prevention unit. A general public description about this unit is “police
joy-ridders”.
If there are are any advice to give the police, it is to ask the police
to increase and have more visible policing and police post at areas patronized
by visitors particularly at Taman Pelangi, Taman Sentosa, Taman Suria, Tebrau
City vicinity and Permas Jaya. All housing areas and Taman’s must be monitored
by CCTV or “eye in the sky” and linked and monitored at the Johor Police
headquarters.
Another thing which is causing concern to Johor Bahru residents are the
influx of foreigners and questionable tourist in Johor Bahru. Some are even
running their own busineses and petty trading. There is already a noticeable
increase of Africans in Johor Bahru and believe me not all are students. Could
the CPO perhaps direct the local authorities MBJB and MBJBT to make a mandatory
requirement that house-owners renting rooms or their house to foreigners are
compelled to lodge comprehensive details (including photograph) of their
tenants with the local council and police station. Seeing the Afghan and
Pakistani looking “tourist” in Johor Bahru, it would seem that they may be
bidding time for their place on the boat to Australia and Johor is the
cstagging post.
At
Saturday’s press conference Dato
Mokhtar said “ There was a lot of publicity, This will affect the investment
climate, the confidence of Singaporeans coming here. We don’t want all this”
To the Johor CPO, we Johor Bahru residents want a crime free Johor Bahru
and the onus is on you to ensure that Johor Bahru is free from crime. Effective
policing and not police statistics which gives comfort and peace of mind to
Johor Bahru residents. When Lim Guan Eng made a comment (in fact years ago Lee
Kuan Yew said the same) that one is more likely to be kidnapped or robbed in
Johor Bahru, it riled up many and political opportunists took advantage to make
numerous police reports against him. Was what he said was wrong or we speak in
hush tone what Lim Guan Eng said in the open. Has Lim Guan Eng been proven to
be wrong ?
Finally, the life-blood of Johor Bahru economy are Singaporeans and some
two million Singaporean residents visit Johor Bahru ever month. Taking RM500
per Singaporean spent in Johor Bahru, that is about RM 10 million per month
from Singaporean visitors alone. That’s a lot of money.
Surely, Johor Bahru deserves better security!
