KUCHING: With crime rates increasing in the city especially in Sg Moyan, Batu Kawa, political secretary to the Chief Minister Tan Kai has called for more proactive actions.
According to Tan, in recent weeks residents in Batu Kawa have been complaining to Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Batu Kawa service centre of a spate of crimes in the area.
Speaking to New Sarawak Tribune, Tan Kai said he had met with the affected families in Sg Moyan for feedback.
He said despite police reports made on these crimes, there were times when the police were short-handed.
He said when this happened residents would organise patrol teams drawn from 20 Rela members of the Rela Pasukan Desa Wira.
He said all this was carried out with the approval of the police and the members of the patrol team were required to wear their uniform and armed with a baton each.
“There has been improvement after the patrolling started early this month. The team will try to patrol as often as possible.”
But Tan also spoke of how thieves have begun beating the patrol teams to it.
“Unfortunately, thieves have started to break into houses in broad daylight from a report lodged two days ago,” he said.
Tan has proposed that residents to put up fences to beat the thieves, saying he noted that many houses in the area do not have fences, which makes the thief’s job so much easier.
He also urged residents to keep dogs.
Tan went on to speak of issues on the ground that the patrol teams have noted. These are insufficient street lights or light bulbs that are no longer functioning.
He said authorities had been very quick in replacing burnt out bulbs but there is also an urgent need to have more streetlight points in some places.
He said the patrol teams also reported of areas where internet connectivity was poor, which the authorities must address.
“I have written to the service providers concerned to look into the matter. Due to the internet problem, the residents are unable to form a neighbourhood committee or set up a WhatsApp group,” he added.
