MAY 24 ― People aren’t proud of soon-to-be-city Seremban anymore. The town is in disarray amid the outpouring of widespread spleen over public security.
My hometown may be headed for city status but it is seemingly unable to contain rising crime and is probably the worst place to live in now.
There’s intense anger against law enforcement and a nightmare setting for the police — that could stir up a textbook storm of anti-system fury — has emerged.
Why wouldn’t there be rage when criminals rule the streets and the police are seen as ineffective crime fighters?
Senior lawyer Tee Kim Chan is livid. “Seremban is a developed state capital, but now due to violent crimes, the town seems to be located on the fringe of a jungle where public security is of minimal concern by the authorities,” he said.
Clearly, pumped-up criminals who bash up defenseless people, including the elderly, are messing with Seremban’s economic arousal and ascent as a city.
The police say crime in the town is under control and that they are frustrated over the lack of reports made by the victims.
Their response to the crimes has been pessimistic and unconvincing. Consider: Seremban police chief Assistant Commissioner Zainal Abu told reporters that there has been no street crime since he assumed the post nine months ago!
Which raises the question: Should the police only act when a report is made?
How did these wicked bullies become so formidable and manage to rule streets in the heart of Seremban?
Why haven’t the police dealt with the brazen robberies, snatch thefts, muggings and violence?
Clearly, the police’s failure to act — and their stand to act only if reports are lodged — has emboldened the criminals whose attacks have become more frequent and more violent.
The menace, power and impunity of the criminals and illegal racers have surged to an unheard-of level.
Elderly nuns have been attacked viciously and robbed on the grounds of a Catholic church and hawkers have been relieved of their hard-earned income in the wee hours of the morning.
Let’s accept that Seremban is under siege and that we have failed Sister Juliana Lim, 69, Sister Marie-Rose Teng, 79, food court caretaker Hay Peng Kong, 65, and the many more who have fallen victim to street crime.
The people of Seremban are mortified. They want greater police action to eradicate street crime before it rises to disastrous levels. They say in the case of street crime, criminal investigation and special branch intelligence are sufficient if victims choose not to make police reports.
Throw in the blatant illegal racing in the town centre, and the onus, they say, is on the police to prove that they are not smug and out of touch of illegal activities.
That’s not to say victims should not make reports because the consequences of non police-public cooperation drag into everyday life.
It doesn’t take a genius to work out that the imperfect police-public relationship here is fractious.
Seremban should not become a city until public security becomes a priority.
Property prices and rental of homes have skyrocketed while Seremban Two and Three townships have seen people, largely from Kuala Lumpur, snapping up properties — only for many of the owners to now wonder if it’s safe to venture out to the town centre, day or night.
Ensuring that the three arrows hit their marks will require unremitting focus on the part of the archer, something that the police may not be able to provide if the incidents in Seremban are anything to go by.
Expect the theatrics to go on for a while because fixing it won’t be easy.
*This is the personal opinion of the columnist.
