KUALA LUMPUR: The public needs to be exposed to the law that protects them if they report any criminal activities that occur around them in order to feel more confident about security issues.
Crime Analyst Shahul Hamid Abdul Rahim mentioned that with knowledge about the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010, members of the community will feel more assured of safety and thus be able to adopt a more caring attitude towards crimes that occur around them.
“Education about the safety of informers or whistleblowers must be provided so that they will come forward to provide information … for example, they may witness drug smuggling but are afraid to report it due to concerns about their safety.
“Without knowing about the safety of whistleblowers, they will be afraid,” he said during an appearance on Bernama TV’s Ruang Bicara program titled ‘Criminal Cases in Destitute, People’s Security Threatened?’, which was broadcast that night.
He also emphasized the importance of local community leaders playing a role in identifying the possibility of crime in a certain place and preventing it.
“The local community is currently playing a lesser role. In the past, 10 or 20 years ago, penghulus, village heads, and housing estate chairmen played their roles effectively in preventing crime in their respective areas,” he said.
Furthermore, according to him, the mass media has a role in informing the public about crimes that occur, how they occur, and the steps that can be taken to prevent them. – BERNAMA
