When many people disregard the law, is it because there is no fear of being caught or there are just too many rules and regulations to follow? Various acts are committed by perpetrators when they think they can get away with it, but it is getting harder with the proliferation of surveillance and spy cameras.
Today, enforcement agencies could use facial recognition technology to establish a person’s identity immediately. Until this becomes a common practice, our authorities must arrest the current state of disorder. But first, we need to relook at the root causes of lawlessness.
What is lacking are not laws but enforcement which could be due to inadequate budget, manpower shortage, incompetent leadership or political interference. However, I wish to add and discuss on another root cause which is different from how laws and enforcement are normally perceived.
Acts and enactments passed by parliament and state assemblies should be made to cut both ways by holding agencies under the federal, state or local governments accountable for lack of enforcement. This will prevent them from introducing laws, rules and regulations freely without bearing the responsibility of enforcing them.
When rules and regulations are seldom or randomly enforced, law abiding citizens and legitimate businesses will suffer, while those breaking them get away scot-free. We can witness such transgressions on our roads daily. For example, yellow lines are painted alongside thousands of kilometres of city streets and residential areas.
But countless number of vehicles are parked along yellow lines not just overnight but also during the day. If local authorities have no plans for enforcement, why paint them in the first place? It may appear to be a small matter. But if large number of people do not observe simple rules, disregarding regulations will be the norm.
At traffic lights, it is usual to see motorcyclists not waiting for the light to turn green. Such practice has empowered snatch thieves, knowing they can jump red lights without raising suspicion. And it is common to spot motorcycles with broken or disfigured number plates.
Many motorcyclists and pillion riders are also riding without helmets in city streets and suburban areas, which used to be the norm in small towns, villages and rural areas. We also have 1.2 million people riding motorcycles without driving licence and are therefore without insurance cover against third-party injuries as required by law.
In cities and towns, many roadside parking bays have been hogged by people placing traffic cones, plastic chairs, old tyres and other unsightly items to prevent motorists from parking. Five-foot ways meant for people to walk past are often used by businesses to display their wares, treating the public space as private.
Some restaurants place tables and chairs along five-foot ways and may even spread them on sidewalks and parking bays. If local enforcement officers are not blind, then they must be totally inept or on the take.
Why are local authorities not held accountable when their rules and regulations are ignored or broken for everyone to see? They also allow motor vehicle workshops to operate out of shophouses without making them pay for parking bays fronting or surrounding their premises, as no motorists would dare to park on them.
These parking bays should be painted as reserved and workshops pay for them as one of the conditions for operating from shophouses. If enforcement agencies are genuinely sincere, they could invite the public to be their eyes and ears by recording and submitting evidence of transgressions.
Apart from requesting suspects to report at their office to record statements and issuing summonses if necessary, regulators should also engage with the public and businesses to disclose actions taken on a regular basis.
It could kick off immediately without having to wait for additional budget or enforcement officers. All that is needed is a handphone number for the public to forward pictures or videos with text on details of the offences.
But if enforcement agencies continue at their own sluggish pace and are not held accountable for the current poor state of affairs in the neighbourhood or the industry, then nothing much will change.
Public apathy may result in lawlessness, but the authorities are also responsible, more so as they are entrusted with the powers to ensure people toe the line. But they would only act if they have the desire or are held accountable.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the New Sarawak Tribune.
