PJ residents mark success of community-led patrols
SECTION 10, a multiracial neighbourhood in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, is proving that strong community spirit is the best defence against challenges.
This residential area, established in the 1960s, has successfully re-energised its community patrolling efforts post-pandemic.
The Section 10 Residents Association (RA) celebrated this togetherness in its 13th muhibbah dinner.
The dinner, at SMJK Katholik, was attended by Petaling Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Shahrulnizam Ja'afar, Bukit Gasing assemblyman Rajiv Rishyakaran and Church of St Francis Xavier parish priest Rev Father Alvin Ng Sze Syn.
(Above) ACP Shahrulnizam having a chat with PJ residents at the dinner.
RA community safety head Balbir Singh shared how residents, in collaboration with the police, are actively safeguarding their homes.
'We rotate among 10 active residents for the patrolling sessions, working alongside the police's Motorised Patrol Unit,' he said.
With no guarded or gated system, these community-led patrols are crucial, said Balbir.
'In the past, we faced petty thefts because our neighbourhood is connected to open spaces like the park,' he added.
Adding another layer of security, the neighbourhood boasts 20 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and four control stations strategically placed within residents' homes, said Section 10 RA chairman Ronald Danker.
He said this initiative had been in place for a decade.
Danker said the yearly maintenance cost for the CCTV system was approximately RM10,000.
Despite challenges like lightning strikes and general wear and tear, he emphasised its value.
'The cost of maintenance is high, but we find the CCTVs useful to have in the neighbourhood.
'Sometimes the police even ask to view the CCTV footage for their investigations,' Danker said.
About 115 residents attended the event, which was partly sponsored by businesses in the neighbourhood.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Express
4 hours ago
- Daily Express
RM1.2 million drug bust in Kota Kinabalu, man arrested
Published on: Saturday, July 12, 2025 Published on: Sat, Jul 12, 2025 By: Nora Ahmad Text Size: Jauteh showing some of the drugs seized. Kota Kinabalu: A 23-year-old local, believed to be part of a drug syndicate, was arrested following three separate police raids around the city, resulting in the seizure of more than 20kg of various narcotics worth RM960,000. Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun said the operation, conducted by the Kota Kinabalu Narcotics Crime Investigation Division on July 4, began with a raid on a condominium. Officers found 790.56gm of suspected methamphetamine (syabu), along with a money-counting machine, a digital scale and drug packaging tools. The following day, a second raid on another rented condominium uncovered 14.14gm of suspected ketamine. Acting on information from the suspect, police then inspected an abandoned vehicle in a parking lot, which led to the discovery of a suitcase containing 12.7kg of syabu, 6.9kg of ketamine and 25 packets ecstasy juice and 10 ecstasy pills. Jauteh said the drugs were likely intended for both local consumption, especially at entertainment venues, and distribution to neighbouring countries. He added that the suspect is believed to have been actively involved in drug trafficking for the past year. Assets worth RM240,000 suspected to be linked to drug activities were also seized, bringing the total value of the seizures to RM1.2 million. The suspect remains in custody and is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. On the narcotic trafficking trends, Jauteh said drugs are typically smuggled into Sabah via sea cargo for large quantities and air transport for smaller consignments. 'This is based on patterns observed over the past five years,' he said, calling for stronger collaboration between enforcement agencies and the public to curb drug threats, especially those involving cross-border smuggling. 'We need comprehensive cooperation from all stakeholders responsible for the movement of goods in and out of Sabah. 'Once drugs enter Sabah, the police can act, but prevention must start before entry,' he said. Jauteh encouraged community involvement in combating drug abuse, saying residents should report any suspicious activities if they are unable to intervene directly. 'Everyone has a role, whether offering guidance or reporting to the authorities. We need united efforts at the grassroots level,' he said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Star
7 hours ago
- The Star
Cooking oil mix-up of hot profits and holy fry-ups
EVERY Malaysian recognises the RM2.50 polybag of cooking oil (palm olein) – a kitchen essential subsidised under the Cooking Oil Stabilisation Scheme (Coss) to support B40 households. But behind this golden staple lies a simmering problem of misuse, leakages and profiteering that risks undermining the subsidy's purpose. Let's talk numbers. Each month, 60 million subsidised 1kg oil packets enter the market or 720,000 tonnes per year. With a population of 36 million, that's nearly two packets (1.7kg/month) per Malaysian – alarmingly high. In 2024 alone, this programme cost taxpayers RM1.945bil. Uniquely, much of this cost is for B40 in the nation and levied from the palm oil industry itself via a windfall profit levy (WPL) on oil palm growers. In principle, it's a noble arrangement. In practice, there are cracks. The border problem One big crack is at our borders. The Star on April 24, 2025, reported that authorities in Kelantan busted a syndicate trying to smuggle 7,000kg of subsidised cooking oil into a neighbouring country. And that wasn't an isolated incident. Time and again, middlemen have been caught buying up large quantities of these RM2.50 polybags locally, then quietly ferrying them across borders where the same oil can fetch higher prices. In economic terms, it's textbook arbitrage: when a commodity is cheaper on this side of the border and pricier just miles away. Kudos to our enforcement agencies for their vigilance and successful busts of these smugglers. But the system remains vulnerable to leakage. Smuggling might not be rampant in every state, but even small-scale syphoning adds up fast – and it hurts the very group the subsidy is meant to help. From frying pan to fake prayer bottle If smuggling is the external leak, repackaging and resale is the internal bleed. The Star on June 26, 2025 reported that the Penang Hindu Association raised the alarm that subsidised cooking oil was being rebottled and sold as 'prayer oil'. And we're not talking a subtle price hike, either. One particular brand was being peddled at RM8.20 per litre as 'holy' lamp oil – an eye-popping 228% holy markup. How do they get away with this? By literally 'disguising' the cooking oil. Reports suggest some unscrupulous suppliers commingle or mix the subsidised cooking oil with paraffin-based lamp oil, add dyes and perfumes, and sell it as doppelgänger 100% prayer oil. Let's call it what it is: at best, a waste of taxpayer-funded aid repackaged for profit under a spiritual guise. Using oil in rituals is one thing – flipping subsidised oil for cash with a holy label is another. So, what can we do? For starters, push for clearer packaging and labelling, and spread the word – before someone accidentally baptises their chicken curry in altar oil. And we need policymakers to drive for smarter subsidy systems. Red palm oil caught in the crossfire Amid this oily confusion, red palm oil (RPO) has become an innocent casualty. RPO is a vibrant, nutrient-rich edible oil pressed from palm fruit – in fact, it contains 15 times more pro-vitamin A carotenoids than carrots and 300 times more than tomatoes. It's richly packed with antioxidants. It's a genuinely healthy cooking oil. Yet, thanks to product differentiation, RPO can get mistaken for non-edible prayer oil (and vice versa). The bottles look similar, the oil inside looks similar, and in many small shops they're even shelved side by side. The result? Reports of unsuspecting customers sometimes grabbing the wrong bottle – with cringe-worthy outcomes. Imagine someone trying to cook dinner with paraffin lamp oil, or someone pouring nutritious RPO into their temple lamp. These mix-ups do happen, and they are dangerous not to mention bad public relation for palm oil. A few simple fixes could prevent oily mix-ups: use distinct bottles for non-edible oils – bright caps, odd shapes, anything that says 'not for cooking'. Print bold, clear warnings in multiple languages and store edible and non-edible oils separately. These small steps could spare us more tales of curries in lamp oil. Government digital intervention In response to the growing concerns especially over subsidised oil leakages, the government is eyeing a high-technology solution. The Star on June 28, 2025, announced that the authorities will start to roll out a mobile application – eCoss – to monitor the sale of subsidised cooking oil. How would this work? Essentially, retailers would be required to log buyers' details into the app every time someone purchases the subsidised oil. Buyers must download the eCoss application and scan a QR code when purchasing subsidised oil. This data would feed into the Domestic Trade Ministry's system, allowing them to track who is buying subsidised oil, how often and in what quantity. It's a welcome move into the digital age. With proper implementation, such tools can enhance transparency and enforcement. However, the success of this app will hinge on a few things: retailer cooperation, system reliability (let's hope it doesn't crash come festive grocery rush) and public trust in data privacy. Case for shared responsibility and reform Strong enforcement is key – random audits, supply chain tracking and real penalties for tampering with subsidised goods. But public education matters too. Consumers need to know the difference between red palm oil, prayer oil and subsidised cooking oil. Ministries, non-governmental organisations, religious bodies and industry groups can all help through posters, social media and community workshops. Keeping the system honest takes everyone. At its heart, the subsidised cooking oil saga isn't just about cooking, religion or economics – it's about safeguarding public trust. The government rolled out this subsidy to benefit the rakyat and it's on all of us to make sure that trust isn't betrayed. Policymakers must design smarter, leak-proof subsidy systems. Enforcement agencies must uphold the rules without fear or favour. Industry players should distribute and label products responsibly. And we consumers should stay alert – report abuses, avoid selfish hoarding and yes, double-check the labels on that oil bottle in our hand. The government must also re-evaluate whether the responsibility of sustaining the Coss should fall solely on the palm oil sector via the WPL – originally intended for this purpose, though currently channelled into consolidated tax revenue. If the subsidy is to continue, it's only fair that all sectors benefiting from windfall profits share in the responsibility of supporting the rakyat. A declining and unsustainable oil palm sector will affect Coss in future. While plugging loopholes and going digital are great, we should also ask a bigger question: is there a smarter way to deliver this subsidy altogether? Many policy experts have long suggested targeted assistance – basically, give the subsidy to people in cash rather than to the product. In other words, directly support B40 households and let them buy cooking oil at market price. This way, the benefit is in the recipient's wallet, not in the oil packet. No more arbitrage opportunity, no more black market. We must do more to make sure subsidised cooking oil feeds B40 families and not fuels fraud. The only thing worse than bland food is knowing your stir-fry lit a shrine while someone else pocketed your tax ringgit. Joseph Tek Choon Yee is the past-president of the Malaysian Estate Owners Association and former chief executive of the Malaysian Palm Oil Association. The views expressed here are the writer's own.
Borneo Post
15 hours ago
- Borneo Post
Indonesian couple in Sibu jailed 6 months over illegal entry into M'sia
Judge Musyiri Peet delivered the sentence after both accused — Heriadi, 39, and Keti, 36 — pleaded guilty to the charge. – Photo by Jane Moh SIBU (July 11): An Indonesian couple has been sentenced to six months in jail by the Sessions Court here for entering Malaysia illegally. Judge Musyiri Peet delivered the sentence after both accused — Heriadi, 39, and Keti, 36 — pleaded guilty to the charge. The court also ordered them to be referred to the Immigration Department after serving their prison terms. They were arrested at about 9.50pm on June 23 by the roadside along Jalan Teku-Pasai Siong, after failing to produce valid travel documents. They were charged under Section 6(1)(C) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Amendment 2002) and punished under Section 6(3), which carries a maximum fine of RM10,000, up to five years' jail, or both, and up to six strokes of the cane. Investigations confirmed the couple had no records of legal entry into Malaysia. It is understood that the arrest was made while police were investigating a separate murder case involving another Indonesian national at a farm hut in Jalan Rantau Panjang. In relation to that case, Heriadi was separately charged with murder at the Magistrates' Court here on July 8. He was accused of killing a fellow countryman, identified as Andi, at around 7pm on June 22. No plea was recorded, as the case will be heard at the High Court. Deputy public prosecutor Cynthia Emmelda Jerry appeared for the prosecution, while the couple was unrepresented. illegal entry Indonesian jail Sibu
