Friday August 17, 2007

Residents hold talks with police

By TAN KARR WEI
Photo by KAMARUL ARIFFIN

karrwei@thestar.com.my

HIGH incidence of burglary and snatch thefts has prompted SS4C and 4D residents to have a dialogue session with Petaling Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Mazlan Mansor.

The dialogue session was organised by the SS4C and 4D residents association and PJ Utara MP Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun.

ACP Mazlan said the situation in Petaling Jaya was not as bad as people thought, as the crime rate was lower now compared to the previous year.

Take your own initiative: Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun addressing the residents of SS 4C and 4D with (from left) ACP Mazlan Mansor, DSP Sia Siew Keng and DSP Wong Siw Choon.

“Each police station has about four cars patrolling with six-hour shift each. I have given instructions to the officers to not only patrol the area but to go down and talk to the community and listen to their problems,” said ASP Mazlan.

District public order and traffic chief DSP Wong Siw Choon said it was important for residents to give feedback about the patrol cars.

“That way, the residents act as a 'supervisor' of the patrol vehicles and we can monitor our officers based on the comments from the residents,” DSP Wong said.

ACP Mazlan said they had recently adopted a practice to fill up a comment form and put it in a resident's letterbox if they found that something was not up to security standards.

“If the patrolling officers see things like a gate left open, a car door unlocked or a computer left in the car, they will let you now so that you will be more careful in future,” he said.

Asked about the possibility of lighting up the back lanes in the area, Chew said the residents should take their own initiative and turn on the lights in their own houses at night to deter thieves.

“Malaysians have a very bad habit. When they see that their neighbours have turned on the porch lights, they think they can tumpang (share). This preventive measure will save you more than what it will cost you,” said ASP Mazlan.

To help the police work more efficiently, he urged the public to contact the police station immediately if they see something or someone suspicious.

“If you call us the next day, we won't be able to act on it. You should also give us the exact location of the incident so that we can send our officers there,” DSP Sia Siew Keng said.

The Petaling Jaya police headquarters telephone number is 03-7966 2222.