SHAH ALAM, August 3: The increase in serious criminal cases is due to the crippled law enforcement process and the judicial process in this country, said the Political Studies for Change (KPRU) think tank.
Thus, KPRU urged the authorities to review and improve weaknesses in the process of law enforcement which included investigation, evidence collection, prosecution and also judicial proceedings.
"It was found that a total of 31 cases of assault or murder involving firearms have happened in the short period of four months, from April to July 2013.
"Where 43 were victimised; including 22 lives lost and 21 injured.
"And in the month of July alone, there has been 14 cases of shootouts," said KPRU in a media statement.
KPRU explained that studies being carried out by the Penang Institute show that in the first four months of 2013, there have been more shooting cases than in 2012, with a record of 38 cases.
KPRU this averages it to two shooting cases in a week.
"By considering both studies, from KPRU and Penang Institute, it is clear that shoot-and-murder cases have been happening consistently throughout the first seven months of this year, without a break, on an average of two cases per week.
"The high frequency triggers anxiety and fear among the community," explained the think tank.
KPRU added that the government is urged to focus on improving police investigation and not to create new prevention laws to solve serious crimes in Malaysia.
"The disproportionate distribution of police force is the factor of police failure in solving the crisis of increased crime which has gotten more serious in this country," said KPRU.
