Efforts to reduce crime under the National Key Result Areas (NKRA) have shown positive results, with index crimes dropping by 11.1 percent and street crimes by nearly 50 since 2010, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said.

Under the NKRA, he said, numerous initiatives had been taken to reduce crime and Malaysia a safe country for all.

"Positive results can also be seen from the Global Peace Index (GPI) report last year which positioned Malaysia as the safest country in Southeast Asia and 19th safest in the world," he said at the Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) Gold Award presentation in conjunction with MCPF's 19th annual general meeting today.

Present were inspector-general of police Ismail Omar and MCPF vice-chairperson Lee Lam Thye.

Muhyiddin, who is MCPF chairperson, said the results proved that the total commitment of the BN government as well as the holistic effort by the police and MCPF had resulted in a safer environment for all.

"The recognition (by the GPI) and the reduction in the number of crime showed that the police have strengthened its planning and implementation strategies as well as activities concerning security.

"Apart from the initiatives by the police, the society too should galvanise their effort to achieve the objective of making Malaysia a prosperous, peaceful and safe country," he said.

Muhyiddin said that family institution and noble values should continue to be upheld and nurtured as these can be a shield against social problems which threatened the society.

More Chinese police volunteers needed

Meanwhile, MCPF vice-president Kamaruddin Md Ali said there was a need to recruit more police volunteers from the Chinese community, especially in predominantly-Chinese areas.

"We've proposed to the IGP to increase the deployment of police reserve volunteers among the community to facilitate handling of reports and better interactions with the police," he said.

He added that only three percent of police reserve volunteers were from the Chinese community while the participation from the Indian community was 10 percent.

Six police stations were given the MCPF Gold Award at the event.

They are the Taman Johor Jaya police station in Johor, Sea Park police station in Selangor, Panching police station in Pahang, Sungai Bakap police station in Penang, Tambunan police station in Sabah, and Sentral Sibu police station in Sarawak.

- Bernama