This year, Penang alone has seen about 50 murder cases in the state. 31 of these involved foreign victims, 18 are Myanmar nationals.

Yesterday, the police found a severed head in Bukit Mertajam.

The situation is very serious, bordering crisis level. But we are not seeing any increased efforts by the police and the government to tackle this crisis.

The police need to provide a greater assurance of security to the people especially in Penang than just mere statements in the media.

The people need to feel safe. Police patrolling, especially the motorcycle patrol squad, must be increased.

Foreign gangs on the rise?

So far, even though there were gruesome murders of 18 Myanmar nationals in Penang, the police are still denying any links.

There are many lingering questions, including if there is a rise in gang activities involving foreign nationals.

If yes, what is the police doing about it? It is only a matter of time when these gangs, who now seem to be targeting foreigners, will target locals, if not already.

Also the spate of murders involving beheading and slitting of throats is reminiscent of IS-style modus operandi, sparking questions whether religious enmity in their home country especially Myanmar is now brought to Malaysia.

This not only endangers the people here, but will also aggravate the already tense religious situation in Malaysia.

Need for PPS

It is high time the government recognise the need to beef up our police force in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

In this parliamentary session, I have urged the recently announced 11,757 new police officers to be deployed into the CID which now only has about 11.4 percent police officers out of the total force.

The police themselves have requested that the numbers of CID police be increased to 28,000 as early as 10 years ago in 2004. Today, CID has 16,062 police officers.

Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Jaafar during his winding up speech on Nov 5, 2014, in reply to my question on the 11,757 new police officers, said that the deployment will be based on the establishment warrant approved by the Public Services Department (PSD).

He also said that if everyone is placed in the CID, “who will manage the office, etc…” (“siapa lagi yang jaga pejabat dan sebagainya”).

Such a reply is totally irresponsible and reflects a lackadaisical attitude towards the graveness of the situation we are facing today.

Firstly, how can the deputy minister place the blame on PSD, when all these are under the self-same federal government?

If there is a need to increase positions in CID, the government should instruct PSD to do so.

Secondly, the deputy minister did not seem to know that, one, the management unit is already the biggest department in the police with 41.4 percent of the police personnel and, two, the police’s own request 10 years ago to increase its staffing.

Finally, the serious crime situation also proved the need for voluntary groups like the Pasukan Peronda Sukarela (PPS) established by the Penang state government, which has before this, worked with local police to do community patrolling.

The Home Ministry and the inspector-general of police, instead of encouraging such voluntary community crime-fighting spirit, chose to take high-handed actions against PPS.

This is most unfortunate. In light of the crisis, the federal government must intervene to ensure that groups like PPS, which is a state-organised voluntary group, be allowed to continue to play their role to assist police in community policing.

STEVEN SIM is MP for Bukit Mertajam, national political education director, Dapsy and state publicity secretary, Penang Dapsy.