KUALA LUMPUR — The nationwide crime rate index in Malaysia was almost halved during the movement control order (MCO) as police on Wednesday (May 6) reported a 49.1 per cent drop in criminal activity from March 18 to May 5.

Bukit Aman Criminal Investigations Department director commissioner Huzir Mohamed on Wednesday revealed a drop of 5,089 criminal cases over the 48 days of the MCO as compared to the crime rate during the period from January 30 to March 17.

“The drop in crime rate can be attributed to the MCO as people were not allowed outside.

“So as people are not allowed to be outside, that is why there was less crimes committed,” he said.

Among the crimes still prevalent during the MCO, Mr Huzir said, were cases involving violence and those involving property thefts, which both themselves showed a significant drop in numbers during the MCO.

Mr Huzir revealed that during the stay home order, a total of 971 cases of violence had occurred, a drop of 50.7 per cent from the 1,971 cases that occurred during their baseline period.

As for property thefts, he said case dropped by as much as 48.7 per cent to 4,308 cases during the MCO as compared to the 8,397 committed before the restrictions were implemented.

Malaysia now enters its third day of the conditional MCO, which permits most businesses and economic sectors to operate while adhering to strict social distancing and sanitary guidelines. MALAY MAIL