SINGAPORE and KUALA LUMPUR: With Singapore residents fearful of traveling to Malaysia's southern Johor after reports of kidnappings have rocked Singaporeans, Malaysia's police said that one Singapore citizen is the victim of a crime daily in Johor. Despite the report, Malaysia's police argued that Johor “was not a crime haven.” Police reported that last year, 400 crime cases involving Singaporeans were recorded. Already this year that number has seen an increase, with 216 cases being reported, police said. Johor state police chief Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff said that “most cases were property crimes such as motorcycle theft and robbery.” He added that some 26 cases of violent crimes were reported from January to June this year. Of those, he said 17 cases were related to gang robbery. This month has seen crime against Singaporeans reach a head, with two carjacking incidents sparking fears that Malaysia's southern peninsula area is dangerous. At the same time, however, police said that Singaporeans were not immune to participating in criminal activity themselves, with police reporting 53 Singaporeans were arrested for illicit activity in Johor in 2011. The police chief urged citizens from the island country “not to label Johor as a crime haven,” assuring them that “the police are working hard to fight crime. “They should not be afraid to come here for their holidays or to conduct business,” he added.
