Residents of the People’s Housing Project (PPR) welcomed the move to place police officers and personnel at the residential units and hoped their presence will increase the security and help eradicate criminal activities in the area.

Government pensioner Mohd Sanusi Abd Rahim, 66, of PPR Intan Baiduri, Kepong, said with the move, the crime rate in the area could be reduced.

“Apart from safeguarding public's safety, the police can also offer advice to residents or to join the PPR’s community and to volunteer in PPR security team to ensure the well-being of the residents,” he told Bernama.

Sanusi also suggested that a police base to be set up in each PPR project to maintain the security as anyone was free to walk in and out, without being monitored.

“Not all PPRs have police base or mobile unit because based on my observation, there are areas with police base but without any police personnel on duty.

“With the setting up of police base, PPR residents don’t have to travel far to police station to make a report as we don’t have security guards like any other residential areas,” he said.

On Sunday, Kuala Lumpur police chief Mazlan Lazim announced that police officers and personnel would be stationed at 38 PPR projects in the capital as an effort to combat crime.

For the first phase, 27 residential units will be made available for the police in PPR Seri Alam, Seri Selangor, Seri Sabah, Desa Tun Razak, Intan Baiduri, Gombak Setia, Bukit Jalil, Seri Pantai, Pantai Ria, Desa Rejang, Air Panas, Wahyu, Beringin, Seri Semarak and Kampung Batu Muda.

Meanwhile, magazine editor Foong Pui Yern, 30, from Pudu Ulu, said by having police officers or personnel to live in each PPR project could help the residents to carry out patrolling especially at night.

“We are used to the situation of having different types of people in the PPR area as there are no fences and security guards, and therefore anyone is free to enter the area.

“Residents will always take extra precaution every time they go out or return to their homes, but at night it is a bit dangerous because although there are police patrol cars, they are not stationed at any particular area for long,” she said.

Senior citizen R Thaivaye, 73, is of the view that by having police personnel living at the PPR project would help reduce social problems faced by the residents, especially in efforts to eradicate the drug-related activities and occupants from throwing rubbish from the building indiscriminately.

“Several neighbours claim to have drug addicts in certain units and most cases of theft and burglary are believed to have been committed by them.

“There are also residents who have been throwing rubbish from the upper floors and there has been a death incident two years ago... If there are police officers living in the area at least the people will not dare to do such thing,” she said.

On Sunday, Mazlan was also reported to have said that 494 crimes were recorded at PPR and 42 in public housing projects (PPA) in Kuala Lumpur, between Jan 1 and Sept 26.

He added as for violent crimes, 69 cases were recorded in PPR and two cases in PPA, with 1,001 people arrested for drug-related offences.

- Bernama