The Good Die Young but We Should Prevent More Deaths

Burying one’s child must be the worst experience a person can endure especially if that person is on the threshold of young adulthood.

With so much promise and hope for the future, it is gut wrenching to read that people can be so callous that they are prepared to kill you for a few ringgit.

What is worrying is that this is the second incident within 2 weeks and somewhere in Wangsa Maju, the criminals are ready to pounce, as they have not been caught.

While the police may not be able to solve all the criminal acts, they should not discourage victims from making reports as the reports will give a good indication of the crime rate and also the trend. If the trend is upwards then the police request more resources.

One city that really impresses me with their police presence on the ground is Hong Kong where you can find policemen and even officers actually walking on the street. In Malaysia it is a rare sight and most cops above 35 already have a paunch.

Perhaps one way to keep cops fit and also improves residents’ confidence in the police force is to have a 3km beat three times a week for the police force for all ranks below the rank of Captain and below 50 years of age.

This “slash and rob” duo is dangerous and a task force is desperately needed to catch them before their next victim. They are suspected to be drug addicts and therefore more prone to violence.

The following actions are suggested to catch these criminals:

Wangsa Maju and Setapak area:

 Stop and check motorbikes especially those with 2 males for machetes, knives etc.

 Stake out a few likely spots where the next attack may take place

 Use a police decoy if necessary to entice a robbery.

 For high crime areas, camera surveillance may be an important deterrent coupled with a fast response police squad.

For ordinary citizens I would advise:

 Try to travel in pairs or get fellow students to provide “escorts” to and from the transit station near the college.

 Enter your local police number in your phone memory

 If you see someone in trouble try to raise the alarm but make sure you do not become the next victim. If possible get the vehicle registration number and description of the two.

 If you must cross a dark or secluded area don’t linger and be alert. Don’t be distracted with sms or games or iPod while you are walking. Observe what people are doing within a 20-foot radius.

 If you carry a hand-bag and are about to be hacked, it may be better to throw your hand-bag away from you and try to escape in the opposite direction. If they are only after money, this action may save your life.

One promising life has been snuffed out. We must do more to prevent another family from such grief.