Azizah: 71% of budget spent on PUBLIC RELATIONS & Hisham says we are imagining crime!

Yesterday, a sword-wielding man was shot dead in the PM Department’s compound.

A citizen, Tang Mui Choo, a St John Ambulance volunteer, died after falling from her motorcycle during a snatch theft; and near here in Damansara Jaya a decomposing body was discovered in a drain.

That’s only yesterday.

I am really looking forward to Home Minister Dato’ Seri Hishammuddin Hussein’s weekly rebuttal that myself and the Malaysian public are imagining crime.

PM Dato’ Seri Najib Razak’s Government Transformation Programme based on its 2012 budget shows an excessive focus on managing public perception rather than fighting crime.

I assume he feels “Big Fast Results” are achieving by making us feel crime is falling rather than restructuring security arrangements within the country.

The Crime Reduction NKRA’s (National Key Results Area) 2012 budget underlines the claim.

The RM240 million was allocated for five core activities:

1. Reduce Crime Index activities

Vehicle thefts and house break-ins prevention/response training. RM8.8 million or 3.67%, budgeted.

2. Street Crime reduction

“A Safe City Programme” intending to reduce snatch/street theft. RM28 million or 11.27%, budgeted, including RM15 million for assets like CCTVs.

3. Locking up violent offenders

Deploying more investigators and improving evidence gathering techniques. RM6.6 million or 2.75%, budgeted, including only RM3.5 million as investigators’ wages.

4. Increase public satisfaction with police

Having “Customer Service Rating” devices in police stations, and hosting community engagement like “Meet the Public Day” and “Balai League Table”. RM27 million or 11.25%, budgeted, including RM1.3 million as community grants.

5. Reduce Fear of Crime activities

Shocking 71% on PUBLICITY

The only activity stated in Pemandu’s 2011 Annual Report is the commissioning of surveys, “Fear of Becoming a Victim of Crime Survey” being one of it. There is no allocation for assets purchase. RM170 million or 70.83%, budgeted.

Therefore the key weapon of the GTP when it comes to combating crime appears to be public relations, a whopping 71% of the total Crime Reduction NKRA budget.

The government’s insincere as it is only trying to manipulate public perception.

Malaysians want long term solutions. The present government has to show a will to fight crime. Show a will to manage the economy and reduce the income gaps in the country. Show a will to reform Polis DiRaja Malaysia (PDRM) rather than relying on perception management.

I still have not heard a reply for my question last week: Why PDRM’s special branch spending excessively to snoop on its citizens instead of crime prevention and response?

I add this question: Why is government transformation of crime prevention and response highly reliant on public relations?

The rakyat and I continue to wait for answers.

DATO’ SERI WAN AZIZAH WAN ISMAIL

PRESIDENT

PARTI KEADILAN