Johor police today briefed the media from Johor and Singapore on security in the Iskandar Malaysia development corridor, and promised more regular briefings for the media and foreign investors to dismiss any negative perception that Johor was an unsafe state.
Johor police chief Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff said there was no basis to regard Johor as an unsafe state and gave the assurance that the police would redouble efforts to fight crime.
He said only two cases of abduction involving Singaporeans were recorded since 2008.
“Only 320 crimes involving Singaporeans were recorded last year, most of them associated with missing cars and motorcycles” he said, adding that the number was small compared to the 14 million arrivals in the state.
“Any assumption that people fear to come to Johor is utterly baseless,” he told reporters after the briefing.
Mohd Mokhtar said criminals do not select their victims based on nationality, race or religion but commit crime as and when they get the opportunity.
It is hoped that the briefings will provide a clear picture of the security situation in the state and instill confidence in potential tourists and foreign investors, he said.
He said the government had allocated RM500 million to step up security in Iskandar Malaysia through the setting up of several district police headquarters, increasing the number of patrol units and installing more closed circuit television cameras for monitoring.
– Bernama
CJMY
Jimmy Tan
