The deterioration of the crime situation in the country is the fault of the BN for refusing to implement the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), says DAP publicity secretary Tony Pua.

Pua said the rise in crime rate in the country has shown that the police have failed in their primary task of keeping the “man-on-the-street” safe, and are more interested in “playing politics than fighting crime”.

This has been exemplified by several recent cases of daring robberies, which have caused the police force to be subjected to “triple crisis of confidence and credibility”.

police crime roadblock “Firstly, the rise in crime and its aggressiveness have proven the failure of police in their most important task, that is to ensure that the man-on-the-street does not live in fear of his life and property,” Pua said in a statement.

He was referring to an incident last Saturday where he said some 70 people were robbed of more than RM20,000 at an open air steamboat restaurant in Cheras by 10 men armed with parang and iron rods.

"In fact, it was reported that the police have received four reports about such cases in Kuala Lumpur and another in Petaling Jaya in the past two weeks. 

‘Triple crisis of confidence’

"I also know, as a matter of fact, that there have been many such cases occurring in various parts commercial centres in Petaling Jaya the past six months, and that these shops are fearful of unwanted publicity, which may result in reprisals from the armed robbers," said Pua, the MP for Petaling Jaya Utara.

Spiralling crime, coupled with the tendency of the police to "play politics" rather than fight crime, and their inability to curb deaths in custody, have created a crisis of confidence in the police force, he said.

"These triple crises of confidence and credibility of the Malaysian police puts on the spotlight on the BN government’s obstinate refusal to establish of the IPCMC. 

"The IPCMC is to deal with complaints regarding the police, to improve the professionalism of the police force and to make certain that doctrines, laws, rules and procedures are observed and applied by the police," he said.

If the BN wanted to regain its urban support, Pua added, it must implement the IPCMC to "prevent the further deterioration of the crime situation, the continued politicisation of the police force as the catspaw for BN and any further loss of lives in police lock-ups".

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