Crimes Involving Students On The Rise

Criminal cases involving school students in the country is on the rise according to the number of reported cases over the last two years. Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said in 2007, a total of 1,838 criminal cases were reported where 3,383 students were arrested.
In a text of speech read by Kota Samarahan district police head of management ASP Mohd Fahdil Antum, who represented the district police chief, DSP Abang Abdillah Abang Majid yesterday, the IGP said of that figure, 3,241 students arrested were between 13 and 18 years old.

Based on the total number of cases, crimes involving school students are always on the rise and it has raised concerns among schools, parents and also the public. A total of 202 members and six Police Cadet Corps officers from six secondary schools from Samarahan District participated in the march to celebrate the national-level anniversary. The schools were Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Wira Penrissen, SMK Muara Tuang, SMK Kota Samarahan, SMK Asajaya, SMK Semera and SMK Pasentren Abdul Taib Mahmud, Sadong Jaya.

According to Musa, a total of 2,218 criminal cases involved students last year where 3,725 were arrested for various criminal offences. From the 3,725 arrested, 3,629 were between 13 and 18 years old and were involved in crimes like murder, rape, robbery, rioting and break-ins. A survey by the Malaysian Youth Development Research Institution (MYDRI) in collaboration with the Society Psychology and Development Study Centre (SPDSC) revealed that about 87 per cent of ‘mat rempit’ were between 14 and 25 years old.

About 48.1 per cent of ‘mat rempit’ do it (illegal motorbike racing) because of boredom, 38 per cent to spend their free time and 27.8 per cent because they were influenced by friends. “I believe that these social ills could be controlled if the students were given right exposure, clear explanation on ill effects and the consequences of being involved in criminal activities. Musa pointed out that the students’ involvement with the Police Cadet Corps would be able to instil discipline in them apart from preventing them from being involved in crimes.