Residents of Nusajaya vicinity in Johor Bahru feel unsettled due to the increase in buglary cases in the area.
Recent protests in Taman Pulai Utama concerning the escalating crime rates initiated a dialogue session called “Sesi Dialog Polis Dengan Penduduk” recently to discuss measures which need to be taken by the police with cooperation from the residents to battle the issue at hand.
According to the Deputy CPO of IPD Nusajaya, Tuan Razak, this is the second dialogue held in Nusajaya to answer the public’s enquiry and to offer consolation to the jittery residents.
As per police report and record, Taman Pulai Utama had a total of 70 case this year, comprising 4l lost motorcycles, 7 missing cars, 19 burglary and 3 rape cases. To date, no one has been nabbed for the cases.
The public openly displayed their frustration as many Nusajaya cases have been redirected to other police stations surmounting to a waste of time and effort.
Ex-police office, James Barran, voiced his frustration at the lackadaisical attitude of the police force.
“20 years ago, when I was a Police officer in Batu Pahat, the police received reports regardless of territory, but now I personally encountered a case where I was asked to lodge a Police report in Kangkar Pulai which is 5 km further from the one at Taman Universiti which is just 1 km away,” said the exasperated ex-police officer.
Barran was supported by one of the local residents, Ong Ju Seng, who faced similar problems and had to travel a few times to give investigation statements in a rural police stations, when there was a police station close to home.
Tuan Razak, in his reply mentioned that public can make police report in any of the police station, and that there is no excuse for policemen to channel cases to other stations. Disciplinary actions will take against officers who refuse to comply. He explained that there is a shortage of investigative officers and therefore some lapse in time may occur before crime cases receive due investigation.
The resident in Taman Pulai Utama requested more police patrol in the area, regardless of having security personals in the guarded and gated area. They request that the police be more efficient when recovering evidence and to be efficient when dealing with suspects in order to deter repetitive crime.
A total of 200 people attended the dialogue. Also present was the Ahli Majlis Perbandaran Johor Bahru Tengah ( MPJBT), Jason Teo and community policing Bukit Indah, Yap Kwi Juan and legal advisor Lau Kok Guan.