FORTRESS MAXIMUS « SJ Echo

Wednesday, 5 November 2008

FORTRESS MAXIMUS

By Anthony Dylan

Fortress Maximus or maximum fortress seems to be the main thoughts now in our minds as we tackle our security issues. Sadly, it is hard for us to have to come to this. Being safe is now a need that we have to do on our own. Remember when we all took care of our own neighbours?

In the old days,it was safe to play outside. You could ride your bicycle within each lane and inner roads safely. You could walk alone, jog and even stroll with your children in tow.

You would let your neighbours watch over your house as you went on a holiday. You would use your gates as a makeshift badminton net or even play the same in an imaginary one on the road itself.

The sound of neighbours chatting in the evenings or lazy mornings and afternoons together with the banter of children could be heard ever so often.

Now, there is a sudden increase of crime. Crimes began with small thefts ranging from stealing of plants or clothes. It then led to unlawful entry to steal. Now we see even worse. We have either experienced it, heard of someone being robbed or read about in the papers about armed robberies, murder, rape, kidnapping and shootouts.

The calm in Subang Jaya, our home is threatened by these. Then, we suddenly have residents starting the game of accusation. In my opinion, the police have done their best. They have sacrificed without us saying thank you. We do not encourage them but we only blame them. This is not the way Subang Jayans or Malaysians should behave.

We should instead aid our police. The foreign workers are not to be blamed but our lack of social skills and discipline has created opportunities for those who mean malice and evil.

When good residents came up with their own security measures, some have spoken up and said that it is not good and this and that. Personally, I feel this is a positive step. The residents doing these themselves will create unity and bonding and it is also for the common good.

We should instead emulate them. Of course each initiative is not perfect. Each administration of a security detail is not similar, but that is the beauty of it. It is the residents themselves who took it upon themselves to do something. To again break down the invisible barriers of knowing who your neighbours are.

Ironically, I find that the Nepalese Guards who man the posts have shown humility and discipline. They have shown us how to smile again and say “hello, sir/madam”….simple things like, “thank you”.

Respect for each other and crimes we can each help reduce to zero. Help our police address the important issues of crime prevention and solving. We do what we can and this securitization of our Taman is a good step forward.

USJ11/3 and USJ5 have done theirs. I have seen both. I find each of them having similar but slightly different systems. But at the moment, they are both effective.

The creation of fewer entry and exit points as well as registration would definitely help. That little inconvenience is nothing if one has no ego. One with ego will probably retort “My rumah lah!” “Apa tanya banyak banyak” “Do you know who I am???”…Yet the guards do their job.

The problem is usually us. Some will get jealous if they are not involved and then harp that it is without approval and such. They will never be pleased and will always have something to say but never to the creation of an amicable solution.

The “new” gated communities of USJ5 and USJ11/3 are not new for Subang Jaya. There are others in USJ and some in Subang Jaya itself. Others would just fence up their back lanes and turn these into drying lanes for clothes, barbeque areas as well as badminton or street soccer.

It is time, in my opinion that we look at securing our parks. Time to talk to our neighbours whom we have never smiled at or asked how they are doing or even wishing them good morning, good afternoon or good evening. It is time to come out of our shell and start socializing again and not treat our homes akin to a hotel we check in and out every day.

Fortress Maximus. Yes. A maximum fortress to protect and defend ourselves. A closer community within each Taman is required. I have no problems with it. I now hope to have one in my place soon. Security would then improve and evolve as each Taman contains a security committee. Proper patrol and administration can be done and this will help curb crime. Fortress Maximus is what we need.