Abidin (10th left) in a group photo with the participants of the workshop.
KOTA KINABALU: City Hall targets to reduce the fear of becoming a victim of crime among the public by 50 per cent in an initiative to eradicate black spot areas in and around the city.
Mayor Datuk Abidin Madingkir said black spots mean areas that could arouse fear of becoming a victim of crime among the public, rather than being areas with high crime index.
The black spots include areas that are dirty, unruly, and where unhealthy activities often take place, he explained.
Abidin said City Hall had identified black spots to be eradicated this year, including Kota Kinabalu Central Market, Sinsuran, Bandaran Berjaya, Asia City, Api-Api, Sadong Jaya, Karamunsing, Sembulan, Sempelang and Tanjung Aru township.
“The selection (of black spots) is based on 60 per cent on environment, 30 per cent on social or socio-economy, 10 per cent on safety, taking into account the type of buildings and ownership of strata housings,” Abidin said when officiating at the workshop for the initiative to erase black spots here yesterday.
This programme is among the three National Key Result Area (NKRA) initiatives under the Government Transformation Plan 2.0 for 2013 to 2015 to reduce crime rates.
The other two initiatives include house security features initiative via crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) and car park league table.
In 2011 and 2012, City Hall had embarked on a programme to reduce crime under GTP 1.0, which included installing street lights in Segama, Kampung Air and Kota Kinabalu, installing safety mirrors in the city, providing secure motorcycle parking lots, and installing safety reminder signboards and emergency contacts.
Abidin said the target to reduce the fear of becoming crime victims by 50 per cent was based on the target set up by the Safe City Special Unit.
Thirty-four relevant authorities took part in the workshop to identify the problems in black spot areas and to come up with recommendations for an action plan for agencies, departments, non-governmental organizations and Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK).
Abidin said the outcome of the workshop would be compiled into a document and realised by City Hall.
He hoped the workshop would help in enhancing the image of Kota Kinabalu as a safe environment with stable socio-economy levels.
“The responsibility to make our city that is free from violence, havoc and social and moral deterioration is on our shoulders.”
Also present were City Hall director-general Datuk Yeo Boon Hai and Siow Suan Neo, Safe City Special Unit officer of the Rural and Regional Planning Department under the Ministry of Local Government and Housing.