Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Does the rise of crime make us 'Spiderman' in our own rights?

It's an appalling situation.  In Malaysia, it's deemed not safe to walk alone, in pairs, in triples, in groups.  It's not safe for man, woman, young, old.  It's not safe to park your car, pick up your car, drive on the road and heaven-forbid, stop at the lights. It's not safe if you accidentally hit someone's car, or someone hit your car.  It's not safe to be out and about and it's also not safe to be at home.  It's just.  Complicatedly not safe.

Not to scare you guys who are potential visitors to our lovely country, please come.  So far, we've not heard a lot of cases involving foreigners.  You see, we get robbed by foreigners (apparently).  So, tourists should definitely be fine.

When these heinous crimes go unattended by the local police force, it is natural for the citizens to take matters into their own hands.  The upside which I've seen: People are more bothered to look out for one another within their own network.  Detailed information is shared on Facebook and travels through many many many degrees thereafter, tagged with apt advice for people to be kinder, and more alert to their surroundings.  The downside?  Some unlucky 'baddies' who unfortunately were not able to make a run as fast as they've planned got beaten up, ran over, and God knows how else they were punished before they were handed over to the police.  It's bad that our faith in our law-enforcer is at an all-time low.  But for us to enforce 'law' as deemed justified in that situation?  Well, I don't have an answer.  It's a very grey area.

I suppose this is what happens when the official law-enforcement system is not upheld with integrity and trust.  It forces citizens to become your neighbourhood 'Spiderman/woman'.  The burning question is: This 'unofficial' system seems to work fine if everyone one of us are on the same defining page of what is 'good' and what is 'bad'.  'Good' - protect one another.  'Bad' - beat bad people up.  'Good' - share criminal 'hotspots' to warn one another.  'Bad' - share bloodied criminals so it becomes a lesson to other wannabes.  What happens if we're not on the same page anymore?

Hmm.  Has this noble responsibility of fighting crimes make us better people?  Or.  Worse?  I don't know.  You tell me.


Car Thief Got Beaten like CRAP shared by jovi jun from honda club lover it seems they were trying to steal one of the honda club member car, which they treat like their wife and all of them beat them up before the cops came, they took their photo just in case they do it again to warn others - PJ Community Alert.

Stopping crime and punishing criminals are poles apart.  Strategic or scare tactic?  Prevention or punishment?  Which do we do first?  Check-in with ourselves or cast that stone?

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