Mainstream publications were quick to sensationalize Malaysia’s latest ranking in the Global Peace Index as reported by the Institute of Economics and Peace. Ranked 19th among 153 countries, Malaysia is the ‘safest in South East Asia, 2nd best in Asia, and among the top 20 in the World’.

Yes, there hasn’t been any physical racial conflicts.

Nor did the public fear terrorist threats on the streets.

Military deposition of the government? Never in our Malaysian history. Unless if you consider Al-Maunah as one.

If these were the criteria taken into consideration to come out with a ‘safety ranking’, obviously Malaysia will rank higher than some of the safest countries as we’re socio-geographically in terror-free area.

Clearly the imposition of safety by the Global Peace Index isn’t reflective as to how safe Malaysia really is. However, our Malaysian authority wasted no time to acclaim the credit particularly in relating its success to Government Transformation Programme in reducing crime rates.

The 22 safety indicators used for this analysis are barely relevant to Malaysia’s standard of concern. Issues on ‘weaponry, military capabilities, terrorists acts, relations with neighboring countries’ are rarely a subject of paranoia since Independence, in fact most Malaysians don’t even see the need for military muscles when diplomacy is already working at its best to settle disputes.

Malaysia is blessed not to be in the fear of internal terror as how Indonesia is to its radical jihadists (who believe that bombing pubs and tourist-frequented hotels is the way to save the Ummah), or the Southern Thai’s sporadic violence by the separatists’ insurgence. Even South Korea isn’t considered ‘safe’ due to constant nuclear threat by its next-door neighbour; North Korea, as well as the growing military force of antagonistic China.

Yes, we can pull a smiling face to claim Malaysia as a safe-haven, wonderful, peaceful face of Asia as how our Tourism Ministry says it on the billboards across the World.

True, Malaysia is indeed a harmonious multi-racial country if violence is how you gauge ‘harmony and peace’.

Despite some policy and Governmental flaws, we’ve never gone through racial genoicides (or as claimed) such as the likes of Ku Klux Klan, Uighur massacre by the communist China in Xinjiang province, and least to say in conflictive regions of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India.

13th May 1969? Blame the politics for fanning the racial sentiments. Even that one and only black mark in our multi-racial history wouldn’t be out of proportion if we didn’t have certain vicious individuals who hated the idea of living under one roof.

“Malaysia is 19th safest in the World!”

Now as most Malaysians may begin to ponder, are we really that safe to deserve such global recognition?

What are the odds of me being in danger along the streets of Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Ipoh, etc.? We’re safer than Singapore, aren’t we?

I grew up in a once crime-free neighbourhood.

A carefree 9-year old me didn’t think of lurking danger when I went to cycle around the housing area with my then two besties. Maghrib ‘azan’ was our home-calling siren to avoid getting ‘rotan’ beatings, not because it was getting dark where the ‘bad people’ might just come from behind and kidnap you.

As I began pondering how different life is for kids nowadays, I happened to hear a conversation between mom and my recently turned 9-year old twin brothers asking for permission to cycle around together.

“Who are you going with? How many of you guys?”

“Don’t go alone, it’s dangerous out there”

“Make sure you ONLY cycle til the end of the junction (which is like 500 meters from our house)”

“Lock the gate before you leave.”

I wouldn’t blame my mom for such paranoia.

Despite increasing police patrols in the neighborhood and whatever statistics have proven, the fact that Malaysians no longer feel safe is something to be heeded by the authorities.

Try and have a look at most middle-income housing areas in Klang Valley, most (if not all by now) are beginning to embrace the idea of a gated and guarded community.

Who’s to blame when you can’t anymore trust the society?

Is it their fault to build a 7-foot concrete fence a la Berlin Wall, secluding themselves from the majority when their safety is of utmost concern?

Yes? You must’ve forgotten Sharlinie.

Source: http://flickr.com/

“Another young girl has gone missing after playing at a playground near her flats in Taman Dato Harun on Wednesday at 11am. 5-year-old Sharlinie Mohd Nashar went to the playground with her 8-year-old sister, Sharliena, but half an hour later when they decided to return home, Sharlinie was nowhere to be found.

This incident comes just after a 6-year-old girl was abducted by a motorcyclist on Monday in Kampung Sepakat, Taman Medan, but was later found wandering in Wangsa Maju, Setapak. Police did not rule out the possibility that the “Kampung Baru molester” is the one responsible for these two cases, which occurred within 2km of each other.”

How innocent of her to be horrendously killed! | Source: http://nst.com.my

Recent gruesome murder of the 5-year old Nurul Nadhirah has again sparked fear among the public. Criminal cases involving minors are beginning to be a worrying trend, something unfounded when I was a little kid. Yes there are no terrorists bombing our Twin Towers, but I’m more worried if I can’t draw a safe line for the present and future generation to live their lives without constant fear of being abducted and killed by the person next door!

“The charred remains found on Thursday at an oil palm plantation here at Nusa Damai in Masai has been confirmed as five year-old Nurul Nadirah Abdullah

The charred remains were found on Thursday in the plantation, about 20KM away from the Seri Delima four-storey walk-up flats at Bandar Seri Alam here, where Dirang stayed with her mother, brother, step-sister, grandmother and her aunt.

Dirang was reported missing on March 1 by her mother. Roselyn had given Dirang RM4 to buy eggs and two packets of instant noodles at the grocery store located at the ground floor of the block next door.”

The question here remains, who’s at fault? The authority or the society we’re living in?

Hands down, the measures taken to reduce crime rates is laudable especially when you’ve the numbers to prove it, but that doesn’t mean that the society is no more vulnerable to crime threats.

Where else is safe for us and the future generation then?

Parents can’t help but to concede that the same person who killed Nurin Jazlin might after all be around the neighborhood, paedophilically keeping an eye on the next one.

Nurin Jazlin’s body was found in a gymnasium bag. | Source: http://news.malaysia.msn.com

“The eight-year-old girl was reported missing after she had gone to a wet market near her house to buy a hair clip on the night of August 20th, 2007, in Kuala Lumpur. What seemed like a simple task took a turn for the worst as Nurin was discovered dead in a gym bag on the morning of September 17th, 2007. She was found naked, curled up in a fetal position with a cucumber and a brinjal stuffed inside her genitals. Investigations have been carried out, but until now, her killer remains on the loose.”

Oh, parents should be responsible over their children. It’s their fault for letting them out without guardians where anything can happen. Right. Thanks for the advice, PDRM.

Now try having a stroll in the park, and you might be the next snatch theft victim.

“A 24-year-old private hospital nurse, believed to be a victim of snatch theft cum hit-and-run accident, died along a busy road here yesterday.

G.Malathi from Gelugor was believed to be a victim of snatch theft as her personal belongings were missing after the accident.”

Walking alone to the basement car park after a busy day at work?

Think again, Canny Ong wouldn’t have done that if she knew how ruthless our society has been.

The charred remains of Canny Ong. | Source: http://nst.com.my

“Canny was abducted at knife-point from the shopping complex’s parking lot. Subsequently, she was raped, stabbed, strangled then dumped into a manhole. Her assailant, Ahmad Najib Aris, returned a day later to set her corpse on fire. Her murderer has been sentenced to hang at the gallows.”

Ah yes, only in the 19th safest country in the world.

He probably suits best as the baby monkey of Loyarburok; being a 19-year old first-year Law student (like, who else can beat that!). He set up ‘The Malaysian Outsider’ (myrumbles.wordpress.com) for...

15 replies on “19th Safest Country in the World; Malaysia.”

  1. Our country is certainly unsafe from crimes! And certainly does not deserve a higher spot than Singapore. That's for sure. Rapers and molesters, robbers, thieves, abductors, snatchers, psychotic killers, bullies, gangsters, loansharks are everywhere in Malaysia.

  2. that's because they couldn't find Singapore on the map thanks to the Olympics committee

  3. what a joke?I dont feel safe at all in Malaysia with the killing, robbing, raping and kidnapping. I wanna flee from this country

  4. Not sure what sort of variables that one take when calculating peace/ safety index? I think it's an overwhelming statement to this, ranked 19th and seriously I do not dare walking alone at Lorong Haji Taib at night time. The chances of being robbed, rape is 95% I think. Oh, by the way, Mawi's house was robbed the day after this news was published

  5. That GPI is the biggest joke i've heard all year! No offence but i can't believe Malaysia is ahead of Singapore!!!

  6. That GPI is the biggest joke i've heard all year! No offence but i can't believe Malaysia is ahead of Singapore!!!

  7. Why dont I feel safe? Why is it, Malaysians are spending more to equip their homes with CCTV and alarm, not to speak of monthly fees to hire security services for our homes? How is it that Malaysia can rank higher than Singapore when I could easily leave my valuables including notebook in the car park? Why when eating out in singapore HDB foodcourt, I dont have to grab my handbag tight while eating my food, and Singapore is deemed less safe than Malaysian…. This is a joke and a real insult to Malaysians.

  8. Why dont I feel safe? Why is it, Malaysians are spending more to equip their homes with CCTV and alarm, not to speak of monthly fees to hire security services for our homes? How is it that Malaysia can rank higher than Singapore when I could easily leave my valuables including notebook in the car park? Why when eating out in singapore HDB foodcourt, I dont have to grab my handbag tight while eating my food, and Singapore is deemed less safe than Malaysian…. This is a joke and a real insult to Malaysians.

  9. Malaysia is the safest country in this part of the world ? What a joke it is ? The person who rated this must have overlooked to visit Singapore during his run or was doing or compel to do the Malaysian police a favor for some reasons especially by the home minister just to justify their existences. Also how can it be when you have a 1.3 million illegal immigrants ?

  10. 19th safest country.

    try that. so surreal. three parang wielding individuals barging into a restaurant in PJ. took the cars, wallets and even the half full whisky standing on the tables.

    i never had such traumatic experience. darn and these dots are telling me its safe in PJ.

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