Crime spree in KK streets
Robberies and muggings in and around Kota Kinabalu's central business district puts City Hall in bad light.
KOTA KINABALU: The increasing number of night-time robberies in the Central Business Center (CBC) in Kota Kinabalu City is causing urbanites to feel uneasy.
A recent Facebook posting of a robbery at well lit Suria Sabah complex basement by Likas assemblyman Junz Wong has raised more concerns about the authority’s effectiveness in keeping the city area safe.
In his posting Wong wrote “a girl at her early 20s, who just completed Form 6, was robbed at Suria Sabah Mall basement toilet on Jan 6,Monday at 7.10 pm.
“The illegal immigrant attacked her from behind and tried to snatch her handbag. She resisted and sustained two cuts on her hand and thigh.
“Luckily a couple came out from the toilet and scared off the robber and he ran off without any valuables.”
Wong said the victim, who declined to be named, went over to Permai Clinic for treatments after the attempted robbery.
He advised the public to never assume it is safe to walk alone in the city in the dark.
“Always have company at all times. I hope the police can do more patrols to round up all these illegal immigrants and those who look suspicious,” he said.
Wong also said he would meet with the Suria Sabah management to inform them of the shocking incident so they can raise their security level to fight crime and ensure the mall is a save place.
Illegal immigrants the cause?
The incident is not the first in the vicinity of the area.
Another Facebook user Alison Chew shared her traumatic experience of being robbed of her handbag by two men while shopping at Metrojaya Suria on 2014 New Year Day.
She believed she was targeted because she was holding a baby and was focused on looking at a bed sheet.
The thief’s modus operandi was to push the bed sheet on the floor to distract her while his accomplice grabbed her purse and took off.
Luckily for Alison, her sister managed to snap photos of the man and shared it on her Facebook page in order to warn others.
Alison meanwhile reported the incident to the police and was shocked to be asked if she wanted the case investigated.
Alison’s posting saw many similar incidents being reported within Kota Kinabalu’s central business district.
Many believe the robbers are the illegal immigrants who lived on the Gaya Island next to the city as they can run away by boat and avoid being captured.
The incidents seem to tarnish Kota Kinabalu Mayor Abidin Madingkir’s pledge last January to clean up “black” areas here.
At the time, Abidin said: “These black spots do not necessarily refer to areas that have high crime index but in our context, it would mean an area that brings about fear of crime, dirty, not manageable and prone to unhealthy activities.
Is security just all talk?
He said the identified areas would be cleaned up in terms of their surrounding condition and environment by improving cleanliness and beautification of these areas, safety and socio-economic aspects.
“Throughout last year and 2011, City Hall had implemented various actions and steps under the Government Transformation Plan 1.0 of reducing crimes under National Key Results Area (NKRA) target here.
“Among them were lighting up Segama and Kg Air in 2011 and old city area last year, installing crash barriers at Mat Saman road heading to Jesselton Point in 2011 and Jalan Tungku Abdul Rahman and Jalan Tun Razak last year (2010).
“We have installed safety mirrors in the centre of the city, providing locked parking bays for motorcycles and put up reminder signs and emergency lines in public areas,” he said.
But the recent incident at Suria Sabah complex has led urbanites to question the effectiveness of the City Hall’s security measures.
Few months ago, it was reported that a female Chinese tourist was robbed of her passport, cash and credit card behind CIMB bank just a block away from the Sabah Tourism Board head office at 4am.
“It’s exactly the same back street spot where another robbery took place five months ago,” according to the general manager of the hotel where the victim was staying.
