KUALA LUMPUR, 31 March 2009: In the past two years, murder, rape, armed robbery and rioting no longer appears to be the domain of seasoned criminals.
Since 2007, the police have detected an increase in the number of cases involving students aged between 13 and 18, who have been linked to such crimes.
Understandably, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan is alarmed over this phenomenon.
Of the 3,383 people detained for various crimes in 2007, Musa said 3,241 were aged between 13 to18.
Last year, 3,725 students were nabbed, with 3,629 of those involved aged between 13 and 18.
“The cases comprise murder, rape, robbery, rioting, theft, break-in and others,” he said in a speech in conjunction with the Police Cadet Corps 39th anniversary celebrated nationwide today.
The speech was read by Kuala Lumpur police deputy chief Datuk Abdul Samah Mat during the Kuala Lumpur contingent-level celebrations here.
Meanwhile, Musa said results of a joint study by the Malaysian Institute for Research in Youth Development and the Centre of Education for Psychology and Development Malaysia found that 87% of ‘Mat Rempit’ were made up those aged between 14 to 25.
The study revealed that 48.1% of ‘Mat Rempit’ attributed their activities to boredom, while 38% said it was to while away the free time. About 27.8% said they were influenced by peers.
“These activities can be prevented if students are given exposure and clear information on the affects and consequences of being involved with crime,” said Musa.
He said members of the corps, which currently had almost 89,110 members nationwide, could act as the eyes and ears of the police and play a main role in reducing problems at school, especially gangsterism.
The police chief said, the corps should give input and information to the police as that would help solve cases.
Established on March 2, 1970, the corps is a co-curriculum programme in secondary schools, and coordinated by the education ministry and the police. — Bernama
