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Crimes In Broad Daylight
By Achong Tanjong

Bandar Seri Begawan - Crimes in broad daylight make up the worrying trend of rising crime cases recorded at Muara Police District in the past several years.

Scrap metal thefts, house burglaries and family squabbles top the black list in Muara - and overall the offences are being committed by locals.

These were highlighted by Acting Commanding Officer of Muara Police District, DSP Mohd Hadini bin Haji Othman who chaired a meeting with penghulu and village heads of Mukim Mentiri yesterday.

The meeting, the first this year, was held at the Muara Police District to foster closer ties between village residents through Penghulu, village heads and members of the neighbourhood crime watch and Royal Brunei Armed Forces, especially the Muara Police.

Among the issues is to re-activate the village neighbourhood committee in Muara areas. These are in line with the government call for information and help to ensure safety and harmony in villages and to reduce crime in the area (Mukim Serasa).

Currently, there are three mukims under

the watch of Muara Police District including Serasa, Mentiri and Kapok, Tanah Jambu which have several village heads. The areas have a 40,000 population, including foreign workers.

Poaching the subject of family acrimony, DSP Mohd Hadini said cases were not about celebrations or weddings but involved quarreling between husband and wife. He said some of the squabbling was done distastefully tin front of a mosque and also included debt collectors.

He said police seek public cooperation for tip-offs in combating crime in all aspects of local and foreign security.

He added that nowadays the trend of theft has changed. Most theft cases are committed in the daytime and not in the night. On the increasing number of cable theft in the areas, he said the worst hit area is at Pengkalan Sihabau Power station, which has been plundered 'five times.

He also advised penghulu and village heads not to act alone against the thieves but to call in the police and other related government agencies for help. However, every Bruneian can make a citizen's arrest of criminals, if the case happened in front of them, as provided for under (Chapter 22) the Criminal Act.

According to Muara Police, crime statistics show a worrying trend. In 2005, a total of 162 crime cases were recorded with 61 arrests. The numbers dipped in 2006 with 120 cases with 46 arrests. However, the number has doubled with 228 cases in 2007 with 85 people arrested.

Within the first three months of 2008, Muara Police District recorded 57 crimes and so far has arrested 17 people.

Meanwhile, penghulu and village heads at the meeting also highlighted their problems, notably scrap metal theft and ways to solve the problem. They asked for police checks at scrap metal yards and asked for regular police patrols.

Another issue raised was the loud karaoke music at weddings played late into the night, a complaint which has fallen on deaf ears. To which police said, call tel 2772253 so they can face the music.

The police-neighbourhood meeting will be held three times a month. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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