Gangsterism has been a burning issue in every country, regardless of its status as a developing or developed country. The term "gangsterism" is derived from the word "gang", which means "group". The stereotypical image of gangs is of skollies on street corners and in dark alleys, but today's gangs are quite organized. A gang is typically made up of members who consider themselves to be a team or a family. They may wear distinctive colors or emblems and use unique hand signals. They may congregate in a specific location, instilling fear and intimidation in the community, and they may engage in criminal activity. In general, gangsterism can be defined as a violent phenomenon involved by a group of people whose main reason for existence is to commit criminal acts and violent acts (MacMaster, 2010). There are two major types of gangs which are the street gangs and the prison gangs. Miller (1992) defines a street gang as "a self-formed association of peers united by mutual interests, with identifiable leadership and internal organization, who act collectively or as individuals to achieve specific goals, such as illegal activity and control of a specific territory, facility, or enterprise." The prison gang, on the other hand, was formed solely for mutual protection and entrancements inside prisons and correctional facilities. Due to the movement or transfer of their members, prison gangs commonly have several "affiliates" or "chapters" in various state prison systems.
Gangsterism may be found in any country, and Malaysia is no exception. The Deputy Director of the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department, Dev Kumar, recently gave an interview about gangsterism culture in Malaysia, which can be used to gauge the current state of gangsterism culture in Malaysia. If gang and mafia activities are allowed to go unchecked, Malaysia risks becoming like Chicago in the 1930s, where gang and mafia activities were rampant. He also noted that these gangs will engage in turf wars for control of an area where they can carry out their criminal activities, such as drug trafficking or gambling. In 2016 the Worldatlas.com, a travel and geography website has ranked Klang, Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, and Johor Bahru in the list of ten most dangerous cities in Asia. Klang has topped the list of most dangerous cities in the list among other cities in Malaysia. The website cited that Klang has been selected for the list as it is home to a large number of criminal gangs. There are many gangsterism hotspots in the Klang Valley which are Port Klang, Tengku Kelana, Jalan Raya Barat, and Taman Sentosa. I have chosen Taman Sentosa as my research spot regarding the issue of gangsterism.
Taman Sentosa is an area in Klang with high crime rates, drug trafficking, theft cases, gangsterism, and so on. Taman Sentosa is a residential area that was developed in the 1990s. , The Indians who live in Taman Sentosa, according to Rajoo (The Star, 2018), who has lived there since 1992, are largely former estate laborers. Former estate workers from Klang, Shah Alam, and other parts of Selangor sought affordable housing in this region after losing their jobs. Furthermore, the latter stated that the region was thrown into the spotlight and designated as a "black spot" by the authorities in the early 2000s. There are several incidents reported that can be gauged as evidence for the claim that Taman Sentosa is a gangster fort. For instance, in 2018, The Star reported that Taman Sentosa was on headlines for a gangland funeral when hundreds of thugs set off fire-crackers and blocked roads, and the two schools were young gangsters on motorcycles wreaked havoc, among others. Recently the World of Buzz reported that PDRM arrested four men over a riot involving a samurai sword in Taman Sentosa, Klang. It was reported that the arrest was made based on a viral video evidence which showcased a man wearing a white shirt and shorts, holding an object resembling a samurai sword, chasing another man at Jalan Dato' Yusof Shahbuddin, Taman Sentosa.
Gangland funeral procession
A man with a samurai sword chasing another man on the streets of Taman Sentosa.
There are several factors that induce the act of gangsterism. The factors are very common and not just subjected to people in Taman Sentosa. In recent research regarding the profile of gangsterism in Malaysia from the perspective of experts, it is concluded that familial and environmental background are the major factors that induce the act of gangsterism. Poor parenting style of parents is one of the main reasons that increase the number of youngsters involved in gangsterism. Parents who are not that attentive and who did not chastise their children for their wrongdoings are the contributors to the involvement of youths in gangsterism. Excerpts from two police personnel provide some evidence of this "Nowadays both of the parents are working from morning until night… The parents are not able to spend their time with their children…This directly resulted in less guidance and monitoring towards their children" (RP2). "Parents are not strict… They always support their children… Even they are involved in any deviant activities, their parents will only babble, and they won't do or say anything to stop their children from committing such wrongdoings" (Durairaja, 2019). To control children's antisocial behaviors, appropriate punishment must be applied.
Besides poor parenting style, the family background also plays a bigger part in this case. According to a study that was undertaken to investigate the demography and sociological elements driving decisions to join gangsterism, several informants (ex-gangsters) said that family members who were also active in gangs may have affected the individual's decision to join a gang. This circumstance fosters a culture that encourages gang-related and delinquent behavior. An individual can be easily influenced by family members who are gangsters by perceiving gangster lifestyles as positive, behaving antisocially, or getting involved in crime. Having a family member who is also a gang member appears to contribute to an individual's negative, and harmful ways of thinking and acting (Durairaja, 2019). For example, a gang member in a family may ask the younger members of the family to perform a few gang-related tasks in exchange for substantial remuneration. This practice will be continued over a longer period of time until the young person becomes financially dependent. Later, the gang member will persuade the child to join the gang in order to increase their earnings.
Not only the family background but also the financial background of an individual can cause them to join gangsterism. In the case of Taman Sentosa, the majority of residents are Indians who used to live on plantations or estates. They lost their meagre jobs and continued to live in poverty after relocating to urban squatters or flats. This displacement caused the breakdown of social controls and the social support system which resulted in undesirable social consequences including gravitating towards crime and gangsterism (Sidhu 2005). In addition, all the police personnel that has been interviewed mentioned that the Indian community is the poorest compared to other ethnicities because they experience fewer job opportunities (Durairaja, 2019). It creates a vicious circle as a result of poverty, many Indians choose to drop out of school at a young age to assist support family members. This has a direct impact on the types of occupations they can get and the pay they can get. These factors also led to the majority of Indians rationalizing gang membership in order to earn more money and improve their living conditions.
On the whole, the major cause of high gangsterism culture in Taman Sentosa is due to family and environmental background such as poor parenting style, family background, and also financial difficulties. Every child needs to be given proper care and attention from parents as it's their sole responsibility to raise them as socially responsible citizens. Lack of attention and care of the parents may cause disastrous effects on their children's future. Besides love and affection, parents should also be aware of whom the child is often interacting with even if it is a close family member. Parents should set a limit or distance with family members who are often involved in antisocial activities in order, protect their child from being attracted to the same activities. Every member of society, not just parents, but also school authorities, police officers and the government should play their part to vanish or diminish the culture of gangsterism to create a better and safe environment for our next generation.
References
Alagappar, P., Len, C.W. , George, M. , Lee, A.S.H. , and Wong, M.S.H. (2005). GANGSTERISM AMONG TEENAGERS IN MALAYSIA. encylocpedia of gangs.
Durairaja, S., Mat Saat, G. A., & Kamaluddin, M. R. (2019). Psychological and criminogenic factors underlying gangsterism among Indians in Malaysia from the perspective of ex-gangsters and police personnel. Psychological Thought, 12(1), 74-92. https://doi.org/10.5964/psyct.v12i1.316
Isu penduduk taman Sentosa klang Yang ditular Di media sosial. (2021, June 2). Makkal Osai - மக்கள் ஓசை | Tamil News Portal. https://makkalosai.com.my/2021/06/02/62701/
Nataraja Moorthy T1*, Aaron Inbaraj D2 and Mohammad Rahim K3. (2019). Exploring the Prole of Gangsterism in Malaysia from the Perspective of Experts. journal of forensic and crime studies, 2(4), 403. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336085985_Exploring_the_profile_of_gangsterism_in_Malaysia_from_the_perspective_of_experts
Renushara. (2021, June 2). PDRM arrests four men over riot involving a samurai sword in Klang. WORLD OF BUZZ. https://worldofbuzz.com/pdrm-arrests-four-men-over-riot-involving-a-samurai-sword-in-klang/
Rising crime, Sentosa rep wants more police force. (2021, May 6). Selangor Journal. https://selangorjournal.my/2021/05/rising-crime-sentosa-rep-wants-more-police-force/
(n.d.). Trauma Clinic Counselling, Cape Town, South Africa | Trauma Clinic Counselling, Cape Town, South Africa. https://www.traumaclinic.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Gangsterism_In_South_Africa.pdf
Name : Devina A/P Tinakararan
Matric ID : D20182085760
Course : HGM 3033 Geografi Penduduk
Group : C
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