A new police station will be built to deal with the worrying crime rate in the United Subang Jaya (USJ) township and its neighbouring areas.

According to the police, construction for the new building will begin this year, possibly in September.

The announcement, made during a forum held at the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) over the weekend, was welcomed by residents.

Subang Jaya police chief Fuad Talib ( photo ), who was present at the forum organised by the USJ residential association (USJRA), also promised more cooperation with residents in crime prevention.

"It's something the residents want to hear. But we're holding our breaths until we see actual results," said Clement Lee, a retired textile manufacturing manager residing in USJ5 whose house was burglarised in 2002.

Lee was among the more than 100 residents representing various voluntary neighbourhood watch groups from USJ, Subang Jaya, Bandar Utama and Damansara who attended the forum.

Lack of security

Home to an estimated 170,000 people, USJ is one of the largest residential areas in the Klang Valley. Its residents have for years complained about the lack of security and increase of crime.

The rise in crime took root, claimed residents, when local and federal authorities left out policing power as a factor to consider. At present, there are only two police beats to cover USJ which spans across 1,800 acres.

Residents said the area had a ratio of one police officer for 7,500 civilians as the bases also cover housing estates in nearby Putra Heights and Alam Megah, which houses over 105,000 residents.

Fuad said the national ratio is 1:350, while the goal is 1:260 whereas the ratio in Subang Jaya is 1:1,200.

He revealed that while there are currently 30 patrol vehicles for the Subang Jaya area, there are also just 30 drivers.

Effective crime prevention for now, he said, can only be achieved through better intelligence, which he hoped the community would be more willing to provide.

"Residents should not be shy in calling up and giving information, even if it turns out to be wrong," he stressed.

Oversimplified solution

Residents like Lee, however, felt the solution is oversimplified. Lee, who leads a 200 self-organised neighbourhood watch, said the government has to plan at least five years ahead with growing residential estates like USJ.

"Our concern is whether the personnel will be enough. Or will we be having the same conversation every few years?" he asked

Joe Mahinder Singh ( photo ), who is a member of the Residents Committee (JKP) Zone 1, Subang Jaya, was more vocal. He directly blamed the police for the lack of protection for civilians.

According to a survey by USJRA, only 12 percent of the population was willing to employ private security to patrol the area.

The result is that the burglars tend to target homes of those who cannot afford hired hands, said Joe.

Others residents, like a retired security officer who only identified himself as Ahmad blamed illegal immigrants residing in Puchong Perdana for the spike in crime, although most neighbourhood watch members do not share the same sentiment.

Many residents felt instead that the rapid expansion had attracted scores of criminals from around the country. "For a short time, we were easy meat. That's why they came," said one resident.

The crime rate is considered relatively high in the areas. In Subang Jaya, there were 1,227 motorcycle thefts, 623 property thefts and 462 unarmed robberies in the first six months of this year.

The highest increase was in car thefts, with 361 cases recorded for the first six months of this year.

As robbers tend to target homes with little or no security, many residents have taken matters into their own hands. Many admit that they carry weapons.

"I know a great deal of people who arm themselves with things like golf clubs, bats and ratans. It shows the state of fear that many of the residents have here," said Christopher Ng, who leads a 100-member neighbourhood watch group in USJ2.

Harrowing experience

According to residents, there are currently two locals preying on residents in the USJ area. They apparently operate using stolen vehicles.

On of their victims related his ordeal at the forum. The victim, who declined to be named, said he was approached by the men on the pretext of asking for directions as he was entering his home.

They forced themselves in through the unlocked gate: "I thought I was dead. They had machetes," he said.

The 34-year-old businessman was assaulted, taken upstairs, tied-up and assaulted again. He was then forced to disclose his ATM pin number. After one of the men returned upon making a withdrawal, the duo disappeared.

The victim said he was glad that his wife was not at home during the incident, which he lamented, scarred him for life.

"What they took away from me was priceless. Now, for the rest of my life, I look behind my shoulders," he added.

Also present at the forum was Subang Jaya assemblyperson Lee Hwa Beng.