Living in gated areas while crooks go free
22/03/2007 The Star By Ariff Khalid, Hamilton, New Zealand

I REFER to The Star report on the new rules for gated and guarded housing areas as I am very concerned about the level of crime in Malaysia.

Only the security companies profit, while the criminals will eventually find ways to defeat the security.

I am a post-graduate student currently studying in New Zealand.

While it is not true to say that there is no crime there, the houses are not as heavily barricaded as they are in Malaysia, and people can walk freely without fear of motorcycle-riding purse snatchers.

Malaysians should not look at the increasing number of gated communities as a sign of “progress”. Rather, it is a symptom of our communities reacting to the disease of crime.

Clearly, the solution to this problem is not merely to build higher walls, but to remove the criminals from our streets.