KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 — The crime index for 2021 showed a drop of 19.3 per cent from 52,974 cases from 65,623 cases in 2020, according to the Malaysian Statistics Department report.

The crime index comprises violent crime and property crime and both these types dropped, by 13.4 per cent and 20.8 per cent respectively, to 11,495 cases and 41,479 cases pada 2021.

"Causes that led to lower criminal cases include the movement control order (MCO), where social activities were banned along with interstate and inter-district travel. Stricter enforcement by the authorities and greater public awareness also helped protect against crime,” the report said.

The number of commercial crimes reported to the police in 2021, however, increased by 15.3 per cent to 31,490 cases compared to 27,323 cases the year before.

The highest number of cases recorded was for fraud with 91.6 per cent (28,842 cases) out of a total of 31,490 cases, followed by breach of trust (942 cases), offences under the Moneylenders Act 1951 (847 cases), cybercrime (400 cases) and counterfeit (204 cases).

The report also stated that the number of drug-related cases and arrests reported by the police in 2021 dropped 1.2 per cent and 11.3 per cent respectively, to 108,220 cases and 129,604 arrests, but the number of drug trafficking arrests rose to 25,277 from 23,536 in 2020.

In addition, the number of investigation papers opened by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC) dropped 3.4 per cent in 2021, to 828 cases compared to 857 cases the previous year, while sexual crimes involving victims aged 18 and below grew 0.9 per cent to 1,481 cases in 2021 from 1,468 cases in 2020.

Traffic offences rose by 166.2 per cent, with 14 million summons issued by the police compared to 5.3 summons in 2020.

For maritime crime, the highest number of arrests reported by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in 2021 involved offences under the Fisheries Act 1985 (575 cases), followed by offences under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952 (198 cases) and the Sabah Ports and Harbours Enactment 2002 (178 cases).

The number of children involved in crime dropped 35.3 per cent to 3,457 cases in 2021 from 5,342 cases in 2020, with 34.4 per cent reduction for boys, with 3,171 cases from 4,833 cases in 2020 and 43.8 per cent for girls, with 286 cases compared to 509 cases last year. — Bernama