CRIME MAY AFFECTING FOREIGN INVESTORS?

By : CLARA CHOOI

PETALING JAYA : Fear of crime in Malaysia has spread abroad and is affecting the confidence of potential foreign investors here, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar said today, despite fresh statistics showing that the country’s crime rate has dipped considerably.

“For some reason there are quarters out there who dispute our statistics. But I am here to tell you — that is the true number of cases that we are reporting to the government,” he told a luncheon talk here.

It was reported yesterday that the country’s index crime between January and June this year had dropped by 9.3 per cent, past the government’s five per cent target.

Ismail (picture) said the police’s greatest challenge was in combating “negative reporting” to reduce the fear of crime, pointing out that although statistics indicate that the country’s crime rate has dipped, an internal police survey in May had shown that 54 per cent of Malaysians still feel unsafe.

He lamented that despite the government and police’s hard work, it was regrettable that public perception on crime has continued unfettered and was even “getting out of hand”.

“I must admit, between me and officers, we are not up to mark yet... to address this negative reporting.

“All our work has gone down the drain. The first phase of the NKRA (National Key Results Area on reducing crime) is in the drain now,” he said.

The country’s highest-ranking police official revealed that earlier today, he even had to allay concerns raised to him during a special meeting with international investors and International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.

Ismail, who had arrived late at the luncheon at the Sunway Resort Hotel here, said the meeting with the investors had gone on for more than the stipulated one-hour after those in attendance expressed their lack of confidence in the safety of Malaysia’s streets.

“In Malaysia, we have our 2020 vision where we hope to be richer, and hope to have better lives.

“The challenges are there and it just so happens that one of them is that there are quarters who believe that Malaysia is not safe,” he said. (TMI)