Bandar Selamat

Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) today calls on all Malaysians to work towards zero tolerance for crime by developing an anti-crime culture and making safety a way of life.

Unless one is determined to have an anti-crime culture and make safety a way of life, the fight against crime will not be effective and enduring.

In the wake of frequent press reports about crime occurrences, it is time not only for the relevant authorities but also the entire community to be fully sensitized about the need for quick and effective action to deal not only with the criminals but also the issues and causes that can lead to crime.

For example, complaints that are brought to the attention of the relevant authorities about what can be done to remove the causes for crime occurrence should be attended to speedily. Every complaint that is related to crime prevention must be attended to. For example if there is a complaint related to installing street lights to overcome problems of dark lanes or alleys, or requiring action to improve the safety of passages or walkways to schools and housing estates it must be acted upon urgently.

As crimes continue to occur and given the fact that the law enforcement alone is inadequate to tackle crime, the government has to promulgate effective social policies and programmes to prevent and control criminal activities.

What is essential is to find out the root causes of crime and criminal activities and take appropriate steps to address them?

However, the government also needs other stakeholders such as the traders, residents, professionals and the public to assist them to combat crime.

Hence, policymakers, academicians and the various strata of society need to stand up to this challenge and make their cities, towns and villages safe and liveable for everyone.

In this connection, continuous efforts must be made to reduce crime, lessen the fear of crime and create safer cities and towns where economic enterprises and community like can flourish.

This agenda to control and prevent crime demands a synergistic, concerted and tireless endeavour from everyone. Everyone has a role to play and a function to perform in the fight against crime.

The public must be made aware of the fact that crime prevention is a collective responsibility. Since its inception, MCPF is actively involved in awareness campaigns with various community based organizations to help create greater awareness about the need not to take their safety for granted but on the contrary to participate actively in crime prevention.

Through our safe city initiative projects, MCPF hopes to enlist the participation of all levels of our community in educating the public about what they should do in crime prevention.