Kuching joggers and dog nab rock-throwing homeless man for smashing car windscreen, mayor says deeper issue at play
According to him, the suspect was detained with the help of nearby joggers and a dog before police arrived at the scene.
He added that the suspect is now in police custody.
With similar cases reported in Kuching, Wee expressed concern over what he described as 'a deeper societal issue' that requires thoughtful attention.
'From our observations, the individual involved may be suffering from a mental health condition, but this will need to be thoroughly investigated,' he told reporters.
While praising the relevant agencies for their efforts in managing the homeless population, Wee pointed out that homeless individuals with mental health disorders may be falling through the cracks.
He revealed that the individual had previously been caught by MBKS security personnel, but he did not cause any harm or damages.
'However, this time, damage was done to a vehicle, so we must wait for the car owner to press charges, he added.
Concerned that these homeless individuals with unsound minds may repeat their offences, he proposed a 'three-strikes' intervention policy for those who repeatedly pose a danger, while acknowledging the complexities surrounding detention and mental healthcare.
'This is where social development must take a broader perspective. A 'smart city' must also care for those who are vulnerable – not everyone is born healthy.
'As a city council, our power is limited. We can report incidents, but enforcement and long-term care fall under other agencies.
'That's why there must be a concerted effort to clearly define responsibilities, without pushing blame from one agency to another,' he added.
Emphasising that prevention is key, he said mental health treatment and care need time, communication, and consistent support, unlike treating physical illness.
'Treatment often requires family involvement and long-term commitment. Many individuals resist staying in psychiatric institutions, which are not ideal living environments.
'Still, securing such individuals is often necessary to prevent them from wandering off. Caring for people with mental illness is complex and exhausting, as each patient requires personalised care, including medication, nutrition, and daily support.
'We must develop a long-term strategy to address these foreseeable problems. Organisations like the Sarawak Mental Health Association have been around for decades, yet the reintegration rate of patients into society remains low.
'We must therefore focus on prevention—how to avoid mental breakdowns caused by life pressures—and rehabilitation,' he added. — The Borneo Post
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
5 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
4-year-old boy dies in fall from 8th floor condo
Klang Selatan deputy police chief Kamal Ariffin Aman Shah said the boy died of head injuries while being treated in hospital. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : A four-year-old boy died after falling from an eighth floor apartment in a condominium at Port Klang this morning. Police said the boy's father was at work while his mother had gone out to send another child to the babysitter's house. 'The boy is believed to have fallen out of the window of the family's apartment on the eighth floor,' Klang Selatan deputy police chief Kamal Ariffin Aman Shah said in a statement. The boy died of head injuries while receiving treatment at Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang. Anyone with information can inform the nearest police station or call Klang Selatan police at 03-3376 2222.
Free Malaysia Today
5 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Developer liable for defects to Subang Parkhomes' common property
The Court of Appeal has affirmed a High Court ruling entering liability judgment in favour of the Subang Parkhomes JMB and for damages to be assessed. (Facebook pic) PUTRAJAYA : The Court of Appeal has unanimously dismissed a developer's appeal, affirming its liability to the joint management body (JMB) of a Subang condominium for loss and damage arising from defects in the common property. A three-member bench chaired by Justice Che Ruzima Ghazali upheld a judgment entered by the High Court in the JMB's favour, saying the ruling was sound both in law and fact. 'We decline to disturb the finding of liability,' said Che Ruzima, who sat with Justices Zaini Mazlan and Shahnaz Sulaiman. Che Ruzima also said the High Court did not commit any error in ordering an assessment of the damages payable. The bench also ordered the developer, Zen Estate Sdn Bhd, to pay costs of RM20,000 to Subang Parkhomes' JMB. The JMB represents some 475 condominium purchasers who had bought their respective units at between RM800,000 and RM1 million. Vacant possession to the units was delivered in 2013 and 2014. Following its formation in 2016 under the Strata Management Act 2013 (SMA), the JMB sought out the developer to hand over all documents to facilitate the management and maintenance of the units and the common property. It subsequently took out an application for discovery and, in 2020, filed a negligence suit against the developer over defects to the common property. The complaints included leaks to the roofs of its penthouses and at the complex's basement carparks, as well as damage to the tiles of its jacuzzi and swimming pools. The JMB also claimed the developer had failed to ensure that all electrical installations complied with the Electricity Regulations 1994. In its defence, Zen Estate contended that the complaint pertained to maintenance and that the 24-month defect liability period had lapsed. Accordingly, it argued that the suit was unsustainable. In the High Court last year, Justice Wong Kian Kheong ruled in the JMB's favour, holding that the loss and damage suffered were reasonably foreseeable. Wong, now a Court of Appeal judge, said the developer was aware that the JMB would eventually be constituted to assume responsibility for maintaining and managing the common property. He said Parliament had via the SMA expressly conferred statutory duties and powers on the JMB to carry out these functions. Wong held that the developer's obligations arose by operation of law and the absence of a contractual relationship with the JMB did not affect its claim. 'This is because the tort of negligence in itself is a cause of action which is independent of any contract between the plaintiff (JMB) and the defendant (Zen Estate),' he said. He also found that loss and damage suffered was reasonably foreseeable. Wong said the defects were attributable to the developer and ordered that damages — including for rectification work already carried out by the JMB — be assessed and paid. He also ordered the developer to compensate the JMB for loss of use and enjoyment of the common property in a sum to be assessed. Lawyers CK Lim, Julian Chan, David Yii and S Hemashantini represented the JMB while Cheryl Tay and Carmen Liao acted for the developer.
Free Malaysia Today
7 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Man gets 22 years' jail, 9 strokes of rotan for raping another niece
The convict pleaded guilty in the Ayer Keroh sessions court to four counts each of rape, sodomy and sexual penetration with an object, as well as five counts of physical sexual assault. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : A 31-year-old man serving time for raping his niece has been sentenced to a further 22 years in prison and nine strokes of the rotan after pleading guilty to 17 charges involving an older niece of his. The convict pleaded guilty in the Ayer Keroh sessions court to four counts each of rape, sodomy and sexual penetration with an object, as well as five counts of physical sexual assault. He was charged with committing the offences when the victim was 12 at a house in Kampung Tanah Merah, Krubong, between November 2022 and July 2023, Harian Metro reported. He was altogether sentenced to 166 years in jail, including 22 years on each rape charge, and nine strokes of the rotan for the offences. Judge Rohatul Akmar Abdullah ordered the prison sentences to run concurrently from the date of his arrest on Aug 18, 2023, but for the whipping to be administered consecutively. Rohatul also ordered him to undergo mandatory counselling and to be placed under police supervision for three years after his release from prison. On July 7, the sessions court sentenced the same man to 15 years in prison and six strokes of the rotan on four charges of rape and one of sexual assault against another niece, the younger sister of the victim in today's case.
