THE Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) has recommended for the implementation of “safe-city or “safe-neighbourhood initiatives” projects in Sarawak to help fight crime and create a safe living environment for all.
The foundation vice chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said the initiative was basically an MCPF project designed to create a safe living environment, minimising the opportunities for crimes.
In the Malaysian context, he said the initiative represented a good example of crime prevention through environmental design, community development and education.
The move entails the mobilisation of all relevant parties like planners and architects, developers, voluntary organisations, local authorities and residents to work in partnership and implement initiatives for crime prevention, he added.
Lee said what was even more significant was the fact that our “safe-city or safe neighbourhood initiatives” gathered all relevant parties to custom-design solutions to existing problems and to anticipate and prepare for solutions to safety issues within the locality.
He said it had been established that the fear of crime was as serious as crime itself.
“The use of environmental psychology and environmental design can contribute substantially towards eliminating the fear of crime and reduce crime occurrences,” he pointed out.
Lee said basically, 10 activities would be undertaken in connection with the implementation of the initiatives.
They are:
·selection of project area in consultation with the police,
·identification of target groups in the project area,
·explaining the concept to the target groups,
·setting-up the safe-city committee for the project area,
·identifying crime issues and problems by the target groups and the safe-city committee,
·solving issues and problems by the target groups,
·implementing suggestions on crime prevention,
·monitoring the effectiveness of suggestions and making amendments if necessary,
·documenting project activities, and,
·monitoring the safe-city concept and continuous follow-up action.
The safe-city committee will be chaired by a resident’s representative, preferably the chairman of the residents’ association and comprise representatives from the local authority, the police department, the MCPF, the relevant government agencies, non-governmental organisations, the developer and professionals like architects and planners.
