Poser over Pemandu’s RM85,000 workshop sessions

(The Sun Daily) – Instead of attempting to reduce the crime rate, the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) spent a whopping RM85,000 to solicit ideas to change people’s views on crime.

It gathered more than 100 police officers – past and present, academics and “crime experts” who spent an all-expense-paid three- day brainstorming sessions and workshops at the Hard Rock Café Hotel in Penang aimed at changing people’s mind-sets.

Some of those who attended it blasted it as a “waste of public funds” and said it would be understandable if money is spent on crime prevention initiatives.

“But this whole exercise smacked of attempts to paint crime as if it is not a serious issue. The truth is that crime is on the increase but why spend time and money trying to find ways to mislead the people?” asked a participant.

Many of the participants who were supposed to contribute to this propaganda exercise maintained stony silence as the retired senior officers spoke of their past experiences.

The workshop was co-ordinated by Pemandu’s head of the Crime Reduction Unit, Datuk Dr Amin Khan, together with academics from Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang.

“There was nothing they could contribute because the topic and the objectives to change public perception could certainly not be met,” said another retired officer.

Many, he said, seemed disinterested as their duty is to prevent crime and not getting involved in such initiatives which were alien to them.

Pemandu, instead of focusing on crimes on the rise such as snatch theft, robbery and housebreaking seemed wanting to paint a rosy picture of and prevent the dissemination of news on the true situation.

Another officer described it as pure waste of time, money and effort because people have seen or heard or even been victims.

“How could Pemandu even think that they can change people’s minds when even VIPs and ministers have become victims?” he asked.

The same officer said that the money spent could have been used to upgrade the living conditions of some of the policemen’s living quarters.

“Many stay in flats which have not been given a coat of paint since they were built and Pemandu sees it fit to splurge money on a seminar which brought no benefits,” he added.

Amin could not be reached for comments.