AWARENESS BY KUALA LUMPUR CITY HALL STAFFS FOR SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN (CPTED)

Abstract

A city that is free from all forms of crime and criminal threats will able to create a community that has quality human capital. Both crimes and the fear of crime have a significant impact on the quality of life. A safe city is a key to the success of community development, urban development and nation building. Rising of crime index for past six years in Kuala Lumpur is questionable whether CPTED has been successfully carried out by the KLCH in creating a safe urban environment for people to live in. Urban development Plans should make safety primary criteria in making the city successful and livable. This research aims to investigate the awareness level of Kuala Lumpur City Hall (KLCH) implementer in implementing the Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) which was introduced in 2004 by the Malaysian Government. A mixed method research approach was adopted employing a questionnaire survey and in depth interview with a sample of officers and technician of KLCH whose scope of work includes the implementation of CPTED. The findings suggest that the existing level of awareness is still low with the lack of awareness on CPTED due to the limited knowledge and poor understanding of CPTED concept and implementation. However, it was also found that the implementers of KLCH are beginning to develop an awareness of the importance of safety urban environment and are beginning to consider the capability of the built environment in reducing both, the fear of crime and the actual crime from happening. Successful CPTED implementation will be a meaningful contribution towards the creation of a safe city that is livable for the urban community in Kuala Lumpur therefore helping to improve their quality of life.