DBKK TO TACKLE 'BLACK SPOT' AREAS

SPOTTED.....Bandaran Berjaya is identified as a black spot area. insert picture, Mayor Datuk Abidin Madingkir.

By : ELAINE MAH

THE KOTA Kinabalu City Hall has identified ten areas around Kota Kinabalu city that it considers to be 'black spots', according to Mayor Datuk Abidin Madingkir.

These locations include the Kota Kinabalu Wet Market, Sinsuran, Bandaran Berjaya, Asia City, Api-Api, Sadong Jaya, Karamunsing, Sembulan, Sempelang and Tanjung Aru Town.

According to Abidin who spoke at a workshop aimed at solving the city's 'black spot' problems.The term black spot does not necessarily refer to high crime index. Instead, in this context, black spot refers to an area that creates fear in the minds of people, fear of becoming a victim of crime. Black spot areas are typically dirty and poorly managed. They are also areas that are prone to unhealthy and immoral activities.

Abidin explained that various steps and actions have been taken by the City Hall to reduce crimes, which include installing street lamps at Segama and Kampung Air in 2011 and at the old Kota Kinabalu areas in 2012. The City Hall has also installed safety mirrors around the city centre.

According to Abidin, the initiative to solve black spot area problems falls under the Government Transformation Plan 2.0. Two other initiatives under the same plan include the House Security Features Initiative and the Carpark League Table.

The aim of the black spot initiative is to lessen residents' fear of becoming victim of criminal activities.

Abidin told the gathering that the workshop was important because it served as a platform to identify the problems in these areas.

Approximately 70 individuals from 34 governmental agencies and departments attended the workshop.

"The responsibility to ensure that our city is a city free of crimes, vandalism, and social decay is on our shoulders," he said. (Insight Sabah)