Kuala Lumpur: Alarmed at the growing crime rate across the country, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has ordered a multi-pronged strategy, including hiring retired police personnel, to check the situation.

Referring to the high crime index, Abdullah said "anyone looking at it will be worried. I am very concerned about the percentage of crime in Malaysia.

"We have to act on this quickly. We have to make sure the people know about the situation," Abdullah said after meeting senior police officials. Cases of gang robbery without firearms had jumped 150 per cent from 2723 in 2006 to 7067 during 2007, the New Straits Times said today.

It said rape cases during this period had shot up from 2454 to 3177 while assaults increased from 5843 cases to 6806. The number of serious crimes increased by 13.36 per cent nationwide last year, the paper added.

"The crime index is getting higher and it can create anxiety among the public. When there is fear, the public will be apprehensive about going out at night to the hospital or even the sundry shop," Badawi said.

To bring down the crime figures, the police had come up with a strategy which includes hiring retired or retiring police personnel, installing more closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs) in buildings and public places and setting up more police stations in shophouses and estates, he said.

"It is important to take this drastic action and reduce anxiety among the public," the prime minister said. Abdullah said his government has been addressing the increase in crime and had in the last budget set aside funds for the recruiting 60,000 police personnel by 2010.

Source : PTI