Gerakan wants the government to focus on restoring the confidence of the people in our enforcement agencies, which has hit a low-level.

Gerakan’s head of central bureau on environment, safety and quality of life, Dr Cheah Soon Hai, urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to make this a priority.

“It is important that our enforcement officers must be credible, have a high level of discipline and adhere to the laws when carrying out their duties,” said Dr Cheah, who is also Derga State Assemblyman.

Dr Cheah was commenting on a statement by Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein yesterday that Najib would announce on Monday details of the measures to fight crime under one of the six National key Result Areas to be implemented in September.

Hishammuddin said the details would include the hot areas and crime statistics.

Dr Cheah said competency, co-operation, as well as participation of civil society and the public at large are important.

“Also equally important are education, prevention, rehabilitation and an integrated and holistic approach. An increase of allocation and manpower to the enforcement agencies alone won’t work.”

Dr Cheah said although the people should play their role to fight crime, enforcement agencies, being on the forefront, should be efficient and have a good image.

He pointed out that Malaysia had a complete set of laws or regulations to deal with criminals, but deviation in following established procedures when carrying out enforcement work was becoming too common.

“These faults or shortcomings must be rectified in order for the country to achieve the desired results as far as combating crime is concerned,” he added.

Dr Cheah said the recent cases of Teoh Beng Hock who died during an interview with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency and A. Kugan who died when under police detention were unpleasant incidents involving enforcement agencies.

He said Gerakan welcomed the government’s move to crack down on loan sharks, snatch thieves, mat rempit, kidnappers and hard-core criminals.