Stop the scrap iron thieves

It is high time that some thing to be done in order to stop the scrap iron theives from continuing their harmful activities.What they are doing can no longer be considered petty thefts, far from it.They have caused damages to public properties resulting in sate-wide electricity interruptions because cables,lamp posts,transformers and even base strutures of high tension masts were stolen. Other damages like tyre puntures, overturned motor-cycles and injuries to pedestrians due to missing drain covers everywhere,as widely reported by the media. Strictly speaking,they should not be called "scrap iron thieves" because there are no more scrap iron like condemned cars, rusty BBQ stands, leaking oil drums,fallen gates, collasped fence,odds and ends left behind from finished renovation works,etc; laying around for them to steal.what they are stealing now are metal parts of public facility structures still in perfectly good conditions. They should be slapped with additional charges of damaging public properties on top of theft charges. It is bewildering how it can be allowed to get into this serious situation.Up until now there is no real action but only words,words,words.There are 1001 excuses and bugs passing but not any realistic plan in view. To solve this problem the relevant authorities should own up to their responsibilites collectively by doing away with the traditional way of finding and pushing all the blames to a single "scapegoat". The first rang of the responsibility ladder are the enforcement officers like police patrolmen who should investigate immediately on spotting suspecious characters working on public structures; municipal enforcement officers who should conduct surprise checks on scrap iron collectors; SESB maintenance teams should inspect the structures in their territories regularly to spot any irregularities.These people should be replaced if found failing in their duties. If the problem persists after several changes of officers,then the people on the next rang are at fault,because they are the ones who choose the men.Apparently,these higher ranking officers are not capable of picking the right candidates.If this also fails,then the people on yet another higher rang should be replaced until the problem is solved. Take the municipal enforcement officer as an example:

• The officer should first be replaced.
• If the problem persists,then the supervisor has to go.
• If after replacing the supervisor still does not solve the problem then the Ketua Bahagian is not doing his job.
• If the new Division head can not solve the problem then the Mayor/Chairman is not capable of picking the right candidate and we will need a new Mayor quick.
• The relevant minister should carefully select the right person now because the problem is becoming serious at this stage already.If the problem persists,the minister (Minister of Local Government and Housing for all districts except KK which is directly under the Chief Minister) should resign if not should be replaced.
• If the Chief Minister refuses to take the above step, we rakyat (voters) can remove him during the next general elections as what had happened in Kedah,Penang,Perak,Selangor and Kelatan, no big deal!

It is what democratic system all about.We don't have to suffer in silence or only vent our frustrations in kopitiams now. We can make things happen if we want to, we are the BOSS.