A whopping 71 per cent of gangsters in Malaysia are of Indian origin, according to a criminologist from the South-East Asian nation. Quoting statistics released by the Malaysian Government, Professor P Sundramoorthy of the Universiti Sains Malaysia said that these Malay Indians, who operated in gangs, were engaged in illegal drug trade. He was delivering a lecture on ‘Crime Control Strategies in Malaysia’ organised by the Tamil Nadu Open University (TNOU), here on Thursday.
Sundramoorthy, who is also the principal investigator, research team on crime and policing in Penang Province, said gun culture involving these gangs had increased in the island nation in the last six months like never before in the last 40 years.
“These people come in bikes, open fire and flee and there are two or three such cases in a month. Their victims are also Malaysian Indians. Gangs of all ethnic groups that involve in illegal drug trade have merged now and in that, Indians are active in violent crimes. This has drawn widespread attention,” he said.
Comparing crime statistics of various countries for four years up to 2009 provided by the Interpol, the professor said the overall crime rate in India is lesser than Malaysia and that women are safer here than in the island nation when it comes to mugging. “But there again, the interpretation of crimes comes in to place. What is not an offence in India might be an offence in Malaysia,” the professor added.
He went on to explain the various strategies adopted to curb crime in his country, including revival of foot patrol and increasing police presence. But despite the attempts by police, people in Malaysia still have negative perceptions, he added.
Earlier, C Sylendra Babu, ADGP, Coastal Security Group, said Chennai is the safest city and that crimes are lesser in India than in US or the European countries. Prof Chandrakantha Jeyabalan, Vice-Chancellor, TNOU, also spoke.