SATURDAY-1ST DECEMBER 2007-SANDAKAN COPS MONITORING ACTIVITIES OF STUDENTS

Sandakan cops monitoring
activities of students
They are believed to be involved in unhealthy activities and playing traunt


SANDAKAN:
Police are monitoring a group of students who have been playing truant and said to be involved in unhealthy activities at the Taman Fajar area at Mile 7 here.
OCPD ACP Rosli Mohd Isa said this when responding to a question raised by the head of the Taman Fajar Rukun Tetangga, Otoh Sibik, during a dialogue and meet-the-community session at the district police headquarters yesterday.
“We have obtained information and are looking into it although we have not received any official report,” he said and assured that the police were doing everything they could and would take the necessary action to address the problem.
He urged the parents to monitor their children’s activities and give their full cooperation to the police in tackling issues concerning their children.
Otoh disclosed that he had received information about these students and was concerned over the negative influence they had on other youths in schools in the neighbourhood.
Elopura People Development Leader Chan Tzun Hei highlighted the complaints from residents of Taman Mesra and Sri Taman who were disturbed by the noise created by youths playing guitars at the
two housing areas in the evening.
“If the disturbances persisted beyond midnight, residents can contact the police at 089 21 2222 and our patrol car will be despatched to check on the complaints,” Rosli said.
Touching on the crime situation in the district for the first 10 months of this year, Rosli said theft cases recorded the highest at 42.81 percent, night housebreaking 12.87 percent and daylight housebreaking 9.28 percent.
“Other cases are not that alarming while the few robberies reported recently have been solved with the arrest of several suspects from outside Sandakan (Penampang),” he added.
“The theft cases included the stealing of telecommunication and electricity cables. We view such offences seriously as they have an impact on the economy of Sandakan,” he said.
Rosli explained these cases were committed mostly by drug addicts who turned to crime to get financial means to support their ‘habit’.
According to him, a special committee comprising the police, Telekom Malaysia Berhad, Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd and Water Department has been formed to tackle the issue.
He called on members of the public to notify the relevant authorities in the event of a supply disruption or contact the police if they see the presence of suspicious characters in the neighbourhood.
Rosli said while police have put in place a series of crime prevention measures, the cooperation between the public and the police is vital to combat crime in the district.
Also present were Elopura Assemblyman Au Kam Wah, acting deputy OCPD DSP Ooi Guan Siew, People Development Leaders from the various constituencies in Sandakan and community leaders.