Saturday, August 22, 2009 @6:28 PM
Straits Times Reflection
Term 3 Week 4
2E/NA
Home Section Page 1
Hawkers fall prey to brazen break-ins.
1a) Why is it easy for burglars to break into stalls at the two markets in the Kallang area?
-The burglars were able to get in easily due to the open ceilings and not having their roller shutters down. Climbing up the pipes and the metal bar would also allow them to get in easily.
b) What is the Geylang East Central Merchants' Association going to do about the break-ins?
-Taking charge of the Aljunied Avenue 2 hawker centre, the Geylang East Central Merchants' Association held a meeting a week after the accident on 8th July. To prevent these accidents to happen again, the NEA and the town councils would soon be in touch with Chairman Tan Seng Peng. Improving the security and chance of modifying the stall layout and design may be look into too. For additional security, stall holders can apply for grilles. Before any installment work is done, stall owner would have to pay a sum of $16 for administrative fee and a reinstatement deposit. They would be also required to make the drawings and measurements of the features.
2. What do you think should be done to tighten the security of the markets? What do you think of the burglars who brazenly break into the stalls?
-I think the security guards have to take precautionary actions against the security of the markets. And to even tighten the security, police have to patrol around the stalls almost everyday to be on look out for any thieves so that those thieves who had the intention of stealing would feel threaten or insecure. I suggest the people to place a camera at some places so that the police could recognise the burglars who break-in stalls. I think the burglars were desperate for money for some reasons so they break into the stalls with the intention of stealing money. But, they did not think about the consequences that may happen to them. They think that this would solve their problems. I think the they should be fined in order to prevent more burglars to break into the stalls. But for those who had been repeating their mistakes despite being punished according to the law, i think they should be jailed for a year or two for them to reflect on their wrong doings.