The Malaysian Insider

OCT 29 — It is a most reassuring sight to see several hundred policemen in Ipoh.

It is like falling in love. You wait ages for Mr Right, and then two of them come along. At the same time!

And so it is with policemen. When you seek their assistance, none seems to be around. But then, whoosh, you find several hundred of them, all at once. You are gobsmacked! Where were they hiding all this time?

The Chief Police Officer of Perak once stated that crime, especially violent crime, had gone down. He even reeled off various statistics to state his case.

But, try telling that to the girl who was waylaid, then raped as she walked home. Or the makcik, robbed of her life’s savings. Or the family, living in constant fear of loan-sharks. Or the person, troubled by never-ending Mat Rempit races in front of his home. Or the widow of the petrol cashier, whose throat was slashed. Or the mother, whose child was run-over by a driver without a valid driving licence. Or the husband, whose wife is on life-support, after she was knocked to the ground in a snatch theft.

Not exactly reassuring words are they?

I am no curmudgeon nor do I have a political axe to grind. But the people of Ipoh have long expressed horror at their increasing crime rate.

Where were the police when they were needed? And what are they doing about the high levels of crime?

It is sheer arrogance to think that we, the public, should feel our confidence restored by the statistics on parade.

The global recession has resulted in a significant increase in crime — theft, burglary, shoplifting, vehicle thefts, domestic violence.

I may be a cynic but I don’t wish to be misled. I am confident that the majority of the police behave in an honest and open way. However, I still fear mendacity, collusion and cover-up as much as I fear crime itself. I, like most people, have always treated statistics with suspicion.

At the beginning of this year, it was claimed that the crime index in Ipoh dropped by 7.1 per cent. How was this crime index calculated?

It was also claimed that violent crime and crime related properties had decreased by 5.44 per cent and 7.46 per cent respectively. A percentage is meaningless, without the actual numbers. Are these figures in the hundreds or thousands?

And what actually constitutes violent crime? Is this synonymous with serious offences? Not all serious crimes are violent and so the two cannot be lumped together.

Which grouping is homicide, rape, multiple assault, wounding with intent? Similarly, which group does violence against children, attacks on students and the elderly, or domestic violence at home belong to?

Of the 5,286 “resolved” cases, how many were considered violent or serious crimes? It would be damaging if these resolved cases were “minor” — littering or parking offences.

Apart from attributing the success of the police force to public cooperation, there had been little or no explanation to say whether these had been achieved by confidential phone lines or willing witnesses or offers of reward or media publicity?

What is the impact of increased street patrols, of routine stops on vehicle drivers for valid driving licences, or stop-searches on young men for knives and parangs. (Many seem unaware of increased police patrols. The only visible police patrol car is the one stationed outside the Istana in Jalan Gopeng.)

If CCTV played any role in the fight against crime, then what amount of CCTV footage was effective in solving crimes, if any?

What is the number of crimes, especially violent crimes, that were committed by repeat offenders?

Is there a seasonal trend in the crime rate?

Public confidence would be boosted if every crime committed was investigated fully. Or is this not done as police officers believe there is little chance of the culprit being caught? No one has given the detection rate of police success in solving crime.

Rape attacks are appalling crimes and should be investigated with the seriousness it deserves. It would be revealing to know if many reported rape attacks result in a guilty verdict. How long does it take from a report to arrest to final conviction?

It is unfair, but convenient, to blame parents for the Mat Rempit menace. The key is early intervention and the police can help tackle criminal and anti-social behaviour in teenagers and young adults. Stop the onslaught of gang culture into schools. Initiate regular contacts with schools before young amenable minds gravitate into a life of crime.

The CPO is correct to suggest that crime prevention is a collective effort. Parents, schools, the police and the various government departments could all be involved.

But, statistics can always be massaged. Raw data has been supplied by the police, but who collates these statistics? There ought to be an independent body that verifies the statistics.

In other words, who polices the issuance of these statistics?

All data can be manipulated and used as a political weapon. Alternative sets of data can be compiled using different methodologies or baselines. It is convenient to highlight only the figures that are least damaging.

Public confidence needs to be restored and the only way is to show that the statistics are properly independent. That way, policy making and problem solving become easier.

We need to be honest about the challenges ahead if we are serious about tackling crime. Long-term strategic thinking must take preference over short-term spin. The public needs an honest account of the facts. They are not easily seduced by the cheap use of statistics to bolster weak arguments. Moreover, most Ipoh folk would have heard of Disraeli and his “Lies, damned lies and statistics”.

But in the final analysis, the people of Ipoh have a right to a police force that is more accountable and prioritises crime-fighting. Interaction, engagement and support from their boys in blue should be at all times, and not when the Perak assembly sits.

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