Is gov't serious in solving Indian gangsterism?

FREE YOURSAY 'Unfortunately, Home Minister Zahid Hamidi has declared open season on Indians. The 'shoot first, talk later' cowboys have landed in Malaysia.'

'Set up PSC to address gangsterism among Indians'

Onyourtoes: M Kulasegaran, I appreciate your efforts for trying to do something holistically to solve Indian gangsterism. But Indian issues are now the sole domain of Hindraf. They will jump at anyone who encroaches into their territory - a territory for them to milk their honey and toddy.

First, let's look at some statistics: it is reported that Indians constitute 29,000 gangsters, Chinese 9,000 and Malays only 3,000. With the Malays representing more than 60 percent of the nation's population, having only 3,000 gangsters in their midst is indeed something to be commended.

I must admit I do not know how the police define and classify gangsterism, but judging by the number of criminals shot dead by the police as reported earlier, the highest number were Malays.

So my question is, who were those shot dead - hardcore criminals, petty thieves, conmen, swindlers, traffic offenders, or people who simply wanted to run away after committing some misdemeanours?

Hill: The foundation of the Indian community in Malaysia is weak. Most of the Indian kids are influenced by the Tamil movies and the failure of the good parents to guide them is the root cause of the community's problems.

Since the Tamil movie censorship is beyond their control, religious guidance could be seen as a good way to guide them to the right path. We can't see much activity in the Hindu temples as what we see in other religions in this respect.

There are many temples but they are not being fully utilised for this purpose. The Malaysian Hindu Sangam should play a more important role to overcome the Indian gangster problem.

ACR: Plantation life once provided the Indians a livelihood, though in a vicious cycle. From grandfather to grandson they continued to tap rubber or harvest palm fruits with little or no schooling; and the temple and Tamil schools were all in the vicinity so they remained isolated.

Once the estates disintegrated, they moved into towns, without education or skills, some with no birth certificates or ICs - which are needed to get a job or enrol in school.

It is a very valid question that Hindraf leader P Uthayakumar had posed previously i.e. why are Indians not allowed in Felda, Felcra type of schemes? Why are they, proportionately, the highest number of stateless people?

Is anyone surprised there are only 3,000 Malay gangsters - most probably all in Pekida and Tiga Line to ensure the status quo of their tuans is maintained, as compared with the huge proportion of Indian gangsters?

Righteous: Unfortunately Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has declared 'open season' on the Indians. The 'shoot first, talk later' cowboys have landed in Malaysia.

Myop101: Zahid thinks he has a better idea by allowing the police to shoot first and ask questions later. In addition, if the guns didn't kill them, his Prevention of Crime Act (PCA) should keep these troublemakers behind bars for at least two years (despite the lack of evidence and inability to convict them in court), thereby solving the problems caused by gangsters (who he opines are mainly Indians) to begin with.

Fairplayer: The government of the day must do some investigative studies as to why the crime rate is escalating and look for constructive solutions to arrest the problem. I don't believe people choose to be criminals.

If poverty is the chief reason, then the government must solve the problems of poverty, instead of coming up with extreme inhuman, draconian laws to exterminate 'criminals'. If illiteracy is the chief cause, then tackle that problem as well.

Chances are illiteracy is tied up tightly with poverty. Of course, improper parenting could be part of the cause, poor or rich.

No matter how we look at it, the poor must be helped (not spoiled) as a first step to bring down the crime index. Parents, teachers, law enforcers, religious bodies can all chip in to do their bit.

Oldman57: 50 years gone by, and the living standards of the Indians have not improved despite all those politicians 'fighting' for their cause? Perhaps they were fighting more for their own pockets.

How many parties for the Indians are there in BN for such a small population? Yet the Indians are not considered by Umno as those that need help, and that is why they end up where they are today. The question is, why are they still supporting Umno?

MockingYou: It is better for Pakatan states to take the initiative and do the needful instead of asking the federal government to correct the mistakes that had led to this sad situation.

SS Dhaliwal: Unfortunately BN has no political will do anything to help these people. Hindraf has tried and failed. The Indians have themselves to blame for being too choosy. What is needed is for all the Indian billionaires and tycoons to fund a special skills training academy, which may cost RM50 to RM100 million. However due to the caste system prevalent among the Indians, the rich will not help the lowly poor

James_3392: Dhaliwal's proposal makes sense: raise the RM50 to RM100 million as seed money, set up an organisation run by trusted personalities within the community, but make sure there are no MIC men.

If the organisation can prove its worth, I believe even successful businessmen of other races will contribute. Remember most of the Chinese educational institutions in this country had similar beginnings of self-help, and now they are going to set up the Xiaman University in Nilai.

Tehachapi: The police should adopt a smarter approach in tackling crime to be effective in fighting gangsterism and crime. Acting alone, the police force is constrained by availability of resources and intelligence. The police really need to build alliances with citizens' groups and gain their trust, support and respect in securing public order.

The inspector-general of police (IGP) should thus focus on strengthening the police's image and public trust without any compromise. The police force should prove itself to be worthy of trust. It is too myopic to just serve the vested interests of the few.

Unless that foundation of trust is rebuilt, the police force will have to depend solely on its own resources as little help will be forthcoming from society. The choice for the police is therefore whether to remodel themselves as an independent and trustworthy public body, or to work for Umno's interests alone to the detriment of the nation.

The police need to have the courage to reclaim their legitimate role to protect the rights of all Malaysians. We wonder whether the police will truly deliver on this...

Lone_star: While Kula is at it, would a parliamentary select committee to address gangster behaviour among 'endless possibilities' ministers also be set up? - Malaysiakini