ZERO CRIME
Noor Husna Khalid
Mar 28:
KUALA LUMPUR: One neighbourhood has proved that it is possible to have zero crime.
Welcome to Taman Bukit Bandaraya in Bangsar, perhaps the safest neighbourhood in the country for there has not been a single case of crime for one year. Residents at Jalan Pudina and Jalan Rumpai took the law into their own hands in a positive manner when they decided that they should do their part to help police and City Hall to curb criminal activities and make their own neighbourhood safe.
They hired the services of a security company about two years ago and the number of crime cases started dropping.
Last month, city police declared their neighbourhood a crime-free zone — a distinction for anywhere which does not have a single crime case for 12 consecutive months.
“We have finally achieved our target, that is, to have a zero per cent crime rate in our area,” Inderjit Singh, the Bukit Bandaraya Residents Association alternate chairman cum Jalan Rumpai/Pudina Security Committee chairman, told The Malay Mail yesterday.
The security scheme was part of the residents association’s programme in line with the call by the Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation, headed by Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, to residents to take action.
Inderjit said the police and City Hall could only do so much, and that it was time for residents to make their own initiative.
“We now have guards patrolling the area every hour, day and night. Whenever they go on their rounds, they will carry a security clocking device to time their progress,” said Inderjit, 58.
“There are six keys located within the neighbourhood and each time the guards patrol the roads, they will clock it and keep the record in a log book, which I will occasionally check.”
Apart from the clocking device, each house has a security plate number glued to their gates.
“This is to enable the guards to alert the owners or the authorities should an emergency arise,” said Inderjit.
The guards work on shifts, with one on duty from 7am to 4pm, another from 4pm to 11pm, and two from 11pm to 7am.
Inderjit said the guards will even inform or call the house owner if they see anything suspicious.
“Sometimes, a resident’s house gates are not closed properly and when this happens, the guards will either close them themselves or call the owner to check if everything is all right,” he said.
Any outsider will be questioned by the guards and if the answer is unsatisfactory, the guards will send them away.
If the outsiders refuse to leave, the guards will call for a police patrol car.
Inderjit said each household pays only RM50 per month for the security guards.
“It is not a big amount for the safety of the neighbourhood,” he said.
“At first, some residents refused to pay but now even neighbouring housing areas have requested to be included in the security scheme.”
The residents association members continue to have meetings with the police once every two months.
“We meet the police to discuss crime complaints, but since we implemented the security scheme, we are proud to say that we have nothing to complain,” said Inderjit.
NO WORD FROM CITY HALL YET
KUALA LUMPUR: Bukit Bandaraya Residents Association alternate chairman Inderjit Singh said residents in his area are still waiting for an official reply from City Hall on a proposal they made last August to have part of Jalan Rumpai and Jalan Pudina blocked with only one access road leading into the area.
Inderjit, who is also Jalan Rumpai and Jalan Pudina security committee chairman, said that if the proposal was approved, a proper guardhouse could be built at the access road into the area.
“We have a petition signed by the residents, and also an approval letter from our Member of Parliament for Lembah Pantai, Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil,” he said.
“Both documents were included in our proposal sent to the Kuala Lumpur Mayor.”
Inderjit said a City Hall officer explained certain guidelines to the residents should City Hall approve the proposal.
“We were told there should be no shops, public amenities and places of worship within the gated area as otherwise we cannot keep outsiders from entering the area,” he said.
Inderjit also said Shahrizat had promised to help provide a proper guardhouse to replace the current makeshift guard post.
“We cannot build a guardhouse until City Hall gives its approval,” he said.
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