Malaysia Crime Watch

9 January 2008
Kuala Lumpur

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced that the crime index has increased significantly last year and that a strategy has been put in place in response to it.

Serious crimes have increased by 13.36 per cent last year, and unarmed gang robbery rose by more than 159 per cent. Abdullah mentioned that the rise was also in part influenced by the addition of five new categories of crime.

The categories are: criminal intimidation, outraging modesty, causing hurt, extortion and rioting.

As he had expressed concern on the situation, the police would take the following actions:

• hire contract police staff who have already retired or are about to retire
• install more closed-circuit television cameras in buildings and common areas
• build more police stations near shophouses and in housing estates
• provide civilians with administrative positions in the police force to relieve police of such duties
• speed up recruitment of new police staff

In order to speed up the training of new police staff, the government would be setting up two new police training centres in Langkawi, Kedah, and Bentong, Pahang.

Abdullah said that funds are still available from the last government budget for the purpose of recruiting 60,000 police staff by 2010.

New Straits Times – Crime rate up 13.4 per cent
<URL:http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/Frontpage/2127632/Article/index_html>

Technorati Tags: malaysia crime, malaysia, crime, kuala lumpur, crime rate, crime index, police force, training centre, police recruitment

9 January 2008
Johor Baru

A 38-year-old Indonesian labourer was remanded for allegedly burying his newborn baby girl alive at a forest in Kampung Sungai Tiram, Ulu Tiram, yesterday.

The suspect’s 20-year-old girlfriend had delivered the baby at 4am, after which he wrapped the newborn in a blanket. The two had been living in a garage with an 18-month-old son. The suspect had then buried the newborn in an 80cm deep hole near their home.

The girlfriend’s parents had visited their daughter yesterday and became suspicious when they did not see the baby after their daughter had given birth. The parents then lodged a police report and both the Indonesian, who had entered Malaysia illegally two years ago, and the girlfriend were detained to assist in investigations.

New Straits Times – Couple may have buried newborn baby alive
<URL:http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/National/2127692/Article/index_html>

Technorati Tags: malaysia crime, malaysia, crime, johor baru, kampung sungai tiram, ulu tiram, death, newborn, buried alive, indonesian

9 January 2008
Shah Alam

Mohd Firdaous Mohd Omar stood on the witness stand for the 8th day in the murder trial of Altantuya Shaariibuu. The 31-year-old Celcom Malaysia special project and investigation department executive was thoroughly questioned by counsel J. Kuldeep Kumar who was representing accused Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri.

Kuldeep asked him about an e-mail that was sent to Mohd Firdaous from the IT billing department and the Customer Care Management system. With the e-mail, Mohd Firdaous prepared the phone logs dated 30 December 2007 for the court.

On 3 January 2008, he had said he was not sure if he still had the e-mail. On Monday, he managed to present a printed copy of the e-mail but had forgotten about it on 3 January 2008.

Mohd Firdaous then said he had checked the cell identification of Azilah’s mobile phone number and determined that the calls were made from “Puncak Alam Highway 4”. He also added that there were differences in the e-mail from the IT billing department and the phone log.

The trial hearing continues today.

New Straits Times – Altantuya murder trial: ‘Badgered’ witness refutes claims
<URL:http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/National/2127571/Article/index_html>

MCW – Altantuya Murder Trial: Data Omitted from Azilah’s Phone Records
<URL:http://malaysiacrimewatch.lokety.com/altantuya-murder-trial-data-omitted/>

Technorati Tags: malaysia crime, malaysia, crime, shah alam, murder, trial, death, altantuya, shaariibuu, altantuya shaariibuu, abdul razak baginda, baginda, azilah hadri, sirul azhar, mohd firdaous mohd omar, celcom, phone log, kuldeep kumar, it billing