The Star/Asia News Network
Monday, Dec 12, 2011
KOTA KINABALU - Malaysians need not feel insecure in their own country as international ratings are increasingly showing it is a safe place for its citizens and visitors.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Abu Seman Yusop said the Australian-based Institute for Economics and Peace, in its Global Peace Index 2011, rated Malaysia 19th among 153 countries in terms of being secure.
"What is more heartening is that Malaysia is rated among the most peaceful nations in Asia, being fourth in the Asia-Pacific region after New Zealand, Japan and Australia," he said after launching the Sabah state-level Crime Awareness Team and Young Rela Squad here yesterday.
He also said a study by TNS Research International also showed a declining trend among Malaysians who fear becoming crime victims, from 52% in January to 48.9% in May this year.
Similarly, he added, Malaysians voicing satisfaction with the performance of the police had increased from 42% to 55% in the same period.
Abu Seman said such feedback was not surprising, as the nation's crime index had been reduced by 15% last year while street crimes recorded a drop of 35% in 2010.
Abu Seman said the declining crime rate continued this year with the crime index dropping by 9.8% (or by 12,979 cases) between January and September, compared with the same period last year.
Monday, Dec 12, 2011
KOTA KINABALU - Malaysians need not feel insecure in their own country as international ratings are increasingly showing it is a safe place for its citizens and visitors.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Abu Seman Yusop said the Australian-based Institute for Economics and Peace, in its Global Peace Index 2011, rated Malaysia 19th among 153 countries in terms of being secure.
"What is more heartening is that Malaysia is rated among the most peaceful nations in Asia, being fourth in the Asia-Pacific region after New Zealand, Japan and Australia," he said after launching the Sabah state-level Crime Awareness Team and Young Rela Squad here yesterday.
He also said a study by TNS Research International also showed a declining trend among Malaysians who fear becoming crime victims, from 52% in January to 48.9% in May this year.
Similarly, he added, Malaysians voicing satisfaction with the performance of the police had increased from 42% to 55% in the same period.
Abu Seman said such feedback was not surprising, as the nation's crime index had been reduced by 15% last year while street crimes recorded a drop of 35% in 2010.
Abu Seman said the declining crime rate continued this year with the crime index dropping by 9.8% (or by 12,979 cases) between January and September, compared with the same period last year.
