Klang is a royal city, IGP sets record straight on ‘Colombia’ remark

KLANG: Police will not allow Klang to be likened to Colombia, says the country’s top cop.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said a number of operations have been conducted in Klang between Jan 15 and Feb 1.

Speaking to reporters after attending a walkabout at the Pandamaran Market on Sunday (Feb 4), he said their goal was to erase the negative perception that associated Klang with Colombia due to criminal activities.

“We are aware that several portals had reported on this issue especially after a video of a robbery on a real estate agent went viral.

“This is an isolated case but the portals used headlines like Klang bandar di Colombia,” he said, adding that a number of operations were conducted on drugs, smuggling of migrants, and criminal activities.

He said this year, Gombak recorded the highest crime rate followed by Petaling Jaya and Klang Selatan.

“Last year, it was Gombak followed by Kajang, Petaling Jaya, and Klang Selatan,” he added.

Razarudin said recently Bukit Aman CID director Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain was quoted by several portals on the matter.

“He was merely quoting what the media had reported. He never said that Klang was like a city in Colombia.

“We want to set the record straight, Klang is a ‘Bandar Di-Raja’ (royal city) and not a ‘bandar di Colombia’,” said Razarudin.

During a townhall session at the Hokkien Association building at Klang on Jan 30, Comm Mohd Shuhaily said the crime rate was not only increasing in Klang, but it was sad to hear Klang has been likened to a city in Colombia.

The townhall session got heated after he questioned how politicians approved housing and commercial projects which inadvertently caused security issues.

In response to a question, Comm Shuhaily said that MPs should not complain to him when police have to issue fines to illegally parked vehicles in high-density areas.

Klang MP V. Ganabatirau, who took issue with the statement, said that such matters were not under the purview of lawmakers.