PETALING JAYA:  Senior citizens living in fear of escalating crime rates here are calling on the authorities to do more to ensure public safety.  

“We have become prisoners in our own homes, we don’t dare to come out,” said PJ Section 1 resident Paul Dass.

The 66-year-old was among   eight seniors who recently met Petaling Jaya Selatan member of Parliament Hee Loy Sian to raise their concerns.

Dass related a recent incident involving his neighbour, saying she was attacked by motorcyclists when  she stepped out of  her home.

(Seated, from left) Hee, Kwong and Ho discussing the crime situation. INSET: Dass.

“They used their helmets to hit her, took her bag  and rode away. I’m scared to even walk around here now,” he said.

A resident who only wanted to be known as Ho said he was assaulted and robbed in his own home in Section 1 between 6am and 7am on Sunday.

He was cleaning his house compound with both the outside and inner gates to his home closed but unlocked.

“There were four people. They grabbed hold of me, pushed me to the bedroom, and placed a pillow on my face. I was almost suffocated several times,” he said.

His assailants tried to tie him up but his persistent struggling thwarted their efforts and they fled after grabbing RM500, a gold watch, and leaving Ho with a black eye.

Section 2 resident Raymond Kwong concurred that the peak hours for violent crime in the area seems to be between 5am and 7am.

“Residents, especially those walking to the market, or children walking to school, should be extra careful or take a car or bus,” said the 54-year-old.

Having lived here his whole life, Kwong said crime seemed to be on the rise as he has been hearing more cases from his neighbours of parang-wielding robbers.

He was the victim of a snatch theft a few years ago and said even newspaper deliverymen making their rounds in the area have been attacked in the wee hours of the morning.

“I used to walk to the coffeeshop just behind my house. Now, no matter how short the distance, I will drive.” 

Hee said his office had been receiving complaints of snatch thefts everyday and that the crime rate in PJ is critical. He added that the decrease in crime rates as claimed by Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein was merely because there has been a decrease in police reports.

“In a lot of cases, no police report is made. People feel that if they make a report, the police can’t do anything,” Hee explained.

He said the Petaling Jaya City Council’s (MBPJ) offer to set up an auxillary police force was still on the table and the council is willing to allocate RM5 million for the endeavour.