SHAH ALAM, Nov: Murder using firearms is seen as an increasing trend and the current choice of the people, either as a career or to simply gain personal satisfaction.
Almost every day, the country is shocked by various shooting incidents causing concern among the community about their state of security.
Criminal analyst, Datuk Akhbar Satar, said that there are three types of hired killers identified in this country which are not mature (discord cases, jealousy, semi-professionals (resentment, envy) and professionals (murder without consequences).
He said that most of the hired killers in Malaysia are among the semi-professionals and is carried out in public places such a traffic lights and eateries.
"These assassins can usually be detected by the police. If the authorities do not take drastic action, they (semi-professional assassins) can turn into professional shooters who murder victims without being detected, and this is what we are concerned about," he told the Selangor Kini portal today.
He said that the use of firearms for killing is believed to be rampant due to a power struggle between triads to control an area, and it is not just driven by revenge.
He said that the existing laws are not guaranteed effectiveness if government enforcement is not tightened.
"Every law is good, but enforcement and cooperation from the public is needed to combat such crimes. The public needs to help the police by reporting incidents or those suspected to be involved in criminal cases," he said.
Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for Kelana Jaya, Wong Chen, said that the problem of crime should be addressed holistically and not to just be focused on the enforcement of law alone.
Wong Chen said, the economic aspect should also be given serious attention, like the enforcement of law, in curbing criminal activity in the country.
"Suppose one criminal commits armed robbery every day, the country will witness 365 criminal cases throughout the year. Imagine if we have 10,000 criminals with the same commitment, how many police officers would be needed then to handle this problem," she said.
Wong Chen said that he urges the central government to be more concerned with administrative management in providing a better economic environment for the people by taking into account the worrying economic pressure.
"Criminals in this country seem to be committed in making crime a permanent career so much so that they are willing to smuggle firearms from neighbouring countries," he said.
* Series 2 will follow tomorrow, 6 November 2013 *
