Has Kuching become a mini 'Las Vegas', with illegal gambling mushrooming everywhere and the crime rate worsening?

This is what the DAP Member of Parliament for Stampin, Julian Tan, wants the police to explain.

Fuming over the inability of the police to get things under control, Tan said: "The feedback I get from the ground, and from my constituents, is that they are concerned over the rising crime rate and illegal gambling.

"Clearly, something has to be done, immediately, as the situation will progressively worsen if nothing is done, fast enough.

"These days we have been reduced to living in fear of being robbed or mugged while carrying out our daily activities - a very worrying trend indeed," he said, pointing out that there are few factors contributing to the increase in the Kuching crime rate.

One of the factors is the ineffectiveness of the police force, Tan ( right ) said.

"While the people are losing confidence with the ability of the police to dampen the situation, the criminals themselves are gaining confidence in carrying out their activities,” he said.

Tan pointed out that many committing street crimes, especially snatch thieve, were not caught.

These culprits have become more daring and were roaming around looking for preys, even in broad daylight, Tan said.

He cited a Wednesday morning incident at Poh Kong Park where a woman’s gold necklace  was snatched, and at Tabuan Laru on the same day, with a similar crime committed, believed to be by the same two persons - one fat and the other skinny, on  a black motorcycle.

The  two  were also spotted at MJC Batu Kawah. Several shops in the Stampin constituency have been broken into a number of times, Tan said.

Victims reluctant to report to police

"All these are unsolved cases as they were not reported to the police. The majority of people that I have approach decided not to make police reportsas the situation has not improved.

"Besides, complaints from many people are that it takes very long time, just to make a report, and this further frustrates the victims," Tan said.

The DAP politician also blamed the bad economy and the high cost of living as contributory factors to the bad state crime in the city, and in the state as well.

"In some cases crime is linked to unemployment. People will not simply commit crimes such as snatch thieves, if they are not in desperate need, risk the danger of getting caught by the police or being beaten up by the people.

"Many of those who indulge in street crimes do so because of lack of job opportunities, and this situation will worsen with the introduction of the goods and sales tax (GST)," he warned.

 

Tan said that the rise in illegal activities, such as gambling, prostitution and drug abuse, around Kuching was contributing to a lot more social ills and crime.

"All these give bad impression that there may be elements of 'misuse' of power involved.

"Has Kuching now become a mini 'Las Vegas'?" he asked.