Bangsar residents show the way:
ZERO CRIME
Malay Mail 29/3/2005 Noor Husna Khalid
Mar 28:
KUALA LUMPUR: One neighbourhood has proved that it is possible to have
zero crime.
Welcome to Taman Bukit Bandaraya in Bangsar, perhaps the safest
neighbourhood in the country for there has not been a single case of crime
for one year. Residents at Jalan Pudina and Jalan Rumpai took the law into
their own hands in a positive manner when they decided that they should do
their part to help police and City Hall to curb criminal activities and
make their own neighbourhood safe.
They hired the services of a security company about two years ago and the
number of crime cases started dropping.
Last month, city police declared their neighbourhood a crime-free zone — a
distinction for anywhere which does not have a single crime case for 12
consecutive months.
“We have finally achieved our target, that is, to have a zero per
cent crime rate in our area,” Inderjit Singh, the Bukit Bandaraya
Residents Association alternate chairman cum Jalan Rumpai/Pudina Security
Committee chairman, told The Malay Mail yesterday.
The security scheme was part of the residents association’s programme in
line with the call by the Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation, headed by
Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, to residents to take action.
Inderjit said the police and City Hall could only do so much, and that it
was time for residents to make their own initiative.
“We now have guards patrolling the area every hour, day and night.
Whenever they go on their rounds, they will carry a security clocking
device to time their progress,” said Inderjit, 58.
“There are six keys located within the neighbourhood and each time the
guards patrol the roads, they will clock it and keep the record in a log
book, which I will occasionally check.”
Apart from the clocking device, each house has a security plate number
glued to their gates.
“This is to enable the guards to alert the owners or the authorities
should an emergency arise,” said Inderjit.
The guards work on shifts, with one on duty from 7am to 4pm, another from
4pm to 11pm, and two from 11pm to 7am.
Inderjit said the guards will even inform or call the house owner if they
see anything suspicious.
“Sometimes, a resident’s house gates are not closed properly and when this
happens, the guards will either close them themselves or call the owner to
check if everything is all right,” he said.
Any outsider will be questioned by the guards and if the answer is
unsatisfactory, the guards will send them away.
If the outsiders refuse to leave, the guards will call for a police patrol
car.
Inderjit said each household pays only RM50 per month for the security
guards.
“It is not a big amount for the safety of the neighbourhood,” he said.
“At first, some residents refused to pay but now even neighbouring housing
areas have requested to be included in the security scheme.”
The residents association members continue to have meetings with the
police once every two months.
“We meet the police to discuss crime complaints, but since we implemented
the security scheme, we are proud to say that we have nothing to
complain,” said Inderjit. |
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