Kelantan: Kelantan, with its low crime index, has been ranked as the second safest state in Malaysia after Sabah, said Deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Mohamed Fadzli Hassan. He mentioned that the ranking is based on the latest report on crime index rates by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the report was issued based on the crime index rate, which includes murder, assault, property theft, rape, and robbery. Kelantan recorded the second-lowest crime index with a score of 96 per 100,000 population, making it the second safest state in the country after Sabah, which scored 95 per 100,000 population.

He made these remarks in response to a supplementary question from Mohd Syahbuddin Hashim (BN-Galas) regarding the state government’s achievements in embodying the “Membangun Bersama Islam” (Developing Through Islam) philosophy during the State Legislative Assembly sitting at the Kota Darulnaim Complex.

Elaborating further, Mohamed Fadzli emphasized that the state government hopes the issue of drug abuse in Kelantan would not be politicised, as it is a problem faced by other states as well. He recalled that during the tenure of the late Tan Sri Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat as Kelantan Menteri Besar, the state had the highest consumption of pil kuda (amphetamine pills), which came as a surprise to many.

In response to these challenges, the state government took several initiatives to curb social ills and rising crime rates. These include introducing new enactments, closing down gambling outlets, and regulating alcohol sales. The government also actively campaigned for prayer observance, modest dressing, and established entertainment control enactments. Furthermore, adjustments were made to traditional Kelantanese cultural elements that contradict Islamic teachings, such as Mak Yong and wayang kulit (shadow puppetry).