Law enforcement is now said to be better equipped both in terms of mobility and technology, especially in going after gangsters with known records.

Undoubtedly, the public are beginning to see a greater police presence, and it is reasonable to expect that crimes of various shades will (hopefully) decline to a level where the public can feel more re-assured and safer at their workplace and home any time of the day.

Gangsters are palls of many social strains — misfits, jobless and angry individuals, anti-establishment groups or professionals conditioned to threaten or even kill without an iota of conscience.

They are a menace to society and must be stopped as they have no qualms about using force to get what they want, and their lawless traits put fears in the hearts of law-abiding citizens who are powerless to do anything when victimised, save giving in to stay out of harm’s way.

Indeed, gangsterism is part and parcel of criminality, and in trying to bring the crime rate down in the State, the authorities, including the police, can be said to be using the “surgical” approach.

For instance, if cancer has already reached an advanced stage, it may be too late to save the patient who may just have to wait until life expires.

If the disease has only reached the first stage and is caught early, there is chance of saving the patient.

Such a parallel may be drawn to describe the present crime-prevention strategy in the State. Quite obviously, in Sibu and Bintulu in particular, underworld activities have been rampant for such a while that it might not be wrong to say ordinary people have been forced to look over their shoulders as they go about their daily routine.

But thanks to Bintulu Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing and other like-minded leaders, there are now positive signs that attempts are being made to nib the problem in the bud (surgical approach) with the arrests of more than 100 hoods, including some well-connected criminal masterminds. The momentum must be maintained.

The underworld reportedly have a hand in most businesses in the State with the upshot that the so-called middle-man’s commissions have to paid by suppliers and traders, inevitably forcing consumer prices to increase.

This has made life very hard for many ordinary people with limited income and therefore, gangsters-controlled trades should not be allowed to continue lest the poor man in the street is bled dry.
The public in Sarawak appreciate the fact that there are politicians like Tiong who dare speak out against gangsters for harming people who refuse to kow-tow to their demands.

No one should be allowed to take the law into his own hands, much less justify the use of violence to get his ways.

Admittedly though, capturing notorious criminal kingpins and locking them away for a long time may only solve a part of the problem.

Their underlings still at large and lying low may replace their “big brothers” when the coast is clear.
The long-term solution appears to be economic in nature… such as creating job opportunities in the hope that those who have gone astray will turn over a new leaf and start afresh after being given a second chance at life.

Invariably, crime exists everywhere– even in the most affluent of societies. Only the nature of criminality differs but the end result is the same — violence and death.

Big-time crime involves big-time money, and to survive in the ruthless underworld, the perpetrators often live on both sides of the law. But ultimately, the long arms of justice catch up with them.
Crime, after all, does not pay.