WITH the launching of the month-long national crime- prevention campaign by the prime minister, the Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation calls on everyone to be part of the campaign and help convey its message “Prevent Crime, Get Involved, We Can Do It Together” as crime prevention is a collective responsibility.

Crime and criminal activities are a matter of grave concern to all Malaysians. There have been strong public comments that we have not done enough to fight crime.

As the largest non-governmental organisation involved in crime prevention, the MCPF shares the same sentiments.

Over the years, the MCPF has organised various crime-prevention campaigns. Beginning this year, we organised a month-long nationwide crime prevention drive to reinforce public awareness on the need for a collective effort to fight crime.

Besides organising crime-prevention awareness activities, the MCPF has sought to work with relevant ministries, departments and agencies, local authorities, the private sector, and various NGOs committed to crime prevention.

More than a million pamphlets in four languages on ways to prevent various types of crimes — focusing on personal safety, crime prevention for women, teens and school children, among others — are made available throughout the campaign period.

This year’s campaign is held in conjunction with the Merdeka month celebration.

Malaysians achieved merdeka and became free from colonisation. However we are still not free from crime and the fear of crime.

What MCPF hopes to see is for all Malaysians to adopt zero tolerance towards crime, to develop an anti-crime culture and make crime prevention a way of life.

Unless one is prepared to adopt an anti-crime culture and make safety a way of life, the fight against crime and criminals will not be effective and enduring.

The best crime-prevention strategy and programme will not succeed if the public do not remain vigilant.

We must help fight crime and by taking the following simple steps we can help make a difference:

- Be aware that crime prevention is everybody’s business.

- Alert the police immediately upon discovering a crime.

- Respond to a crime victim’s call for help. Who knows, you may in turn need somebody’s assistance one day when you are a victim of crime.

- Don’t be an easy target for criminals and do not provide opportunities for crime to happen.

- Form smart partnerships with your local police station, NGOs and your neighbours to promote crime prevention and help eradicate crime.

TAN SRI LEE LAM THYE, mVice-chairman MCPF

Source: NST – August 27, 2008