Awareness Talk - Gangsterism
There are a handful of gangs that continue to cause havoc by terrorising the local community.
Title : Gangsterism
Date: 13th July 2016 (Wednesday)
Time: 12.00 p.m. -1.30 p.m.
Venue: 3A Classroom, Kolej Antarabangsa Greencity
Gangs violence includes bullying include not only physical assault but mental torment as well. Gangsterism also affects the community by encouraging threatening unlawful behaviour. It is imperative that the younger generations have good role models that pave the right direction. Gang violence is a critical social and economic issue and it extracts a high toll on the general public. Using fear factor to their advantage, gangs often recruit young people. Thus, it is not a surprise to see young boys, who are always reminded to be a “real man”, joining gangs and behaving violently in the face of danger. According to Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid, The number of students involved in violent crimes and gangsterism in the country are on the rise. As such he has urged all parties, including schools and the community to jointly address the problem. Zahid said according to statistics, the number of students involved in violent crimes had risen as much as 47 percent, from 368 students in 2012 to 542 in 2013.
In collaboration with the Malaysian Royal Police in Bukit Aman, speaker ASP Ooi Chong Lai (Unit Kongsi Gelap) has come to KAGC to speak on the rising issue of gangsterism in Malaysia. The awareness talk was held in a classroom here on Wednesday and was attended by dozens of students and lecturers.
During the presentation ASP Ooi Chong Lai introduced the subject of gangsterism with a compelling video on the history of gangsterism in Malaysia before speaking on the types of cases that have been reported. He shed light on the unlawful activities that are common among gangsters such as burglary, drug dealing, collecting protection money, extortion, and murder among other crimes, as well as informing on the different gangs in Malaysia. Knowing certain gang’s modus operandi is significantly important in nabbing the criminals. Being aware of an offender’s modus operandi (MO) helps the investigator to lead them to predict future offending patterns which enables preventive measures. This also helps catch offenders because it identifies likely routes, markets and those involved. Most importantly, ASP Ooi Chong Lai also discussed methods of prevention. This includes being aware of your surroundings and the procedures on making reports on suspicious activity. He also stresses that young minds like our students here at Greencity International College should focus on education and to stay away from gangsters. During the Q&A session, students also paid high interest by asking questions such as different measures used to guard the community and about recent cases.
It is important to increase the awareness of gang activity, as well as to acquire the assistance of the community members – such as parents and police – in eradicating gangs. Communication and cooperation between public institutions and the police department is crucial to maintain safety and stability in Malaysia. We are thankful to have ASP Ooi Chong Lai come to KAGC and inform us on gangsterism.