Malaysia may deploy reserve troops to fight crime

KUALA LUMPUR, Sep 4 (Reuters) Malaysia may deploy reserve troops to help police turn back a wave of violent street crime, a newspaper said today, quoting a government minister.

Crime has raced to the top of the political agenda as thieves on motorcycles terrorise streets in the capital and other cities, grabbing pedestrians' bags as they speed past, and pulling victims to the ground so hard that some are killed.

Deputy Home Affairs Minister Tan Chai Ho is considering deploying the volunteer Territorial Army to help police patrol the streets, the Star said, adding that the volunteer home-guards unit, Rela, was already deployed at bag-snatch hotspots.

''The Territorial Army may assist police in crime prevention patrols and their role will be similar to that of the Rela voluntary corps in maintaining the security of a particular area...,'' Tan was quoted as saying.

The government says police lack the resources to tackle widespread street crime. It has recently promised to boost spending to train 3,000 new police and buy 2,000 patrol cars. In the meantime, it is enlisting volunteer forces and encouraging neighbourhood-watch groups to keep an eye out for trouble.

Malaysia's crime rate, especially for armed robbery, snatch theft and rape, jumped 11 to 13 per cent in the first five months of this year, the government said in July. It suspected drug addicts and illegal immigrants were behind the crime wave.

Reuters DH GC0725