Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) today said the police's proposal to centralise entertainment outlets was akin to law enforcers failing to ensure peace and security in the country.

Ideas chief executive Wan Saiful Wan Jan said inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar's proposal also showed the country has burdensome rules that can hinder businesses.

“Hearing such a proposal from the police chief is disheartening because it implies that crime and violent criminal activities are out of control, to the extent that the police have given up policing and deterring them.

“It sounds like the police are trying to pass the buck for their failure to ensure our safety. Surely this is not the case because our police are usually very efficient," said Wan Saiful in a statement.

He added that the proposal did not make sense.

"If we apply the same logic to other business sectors, should banks, pawn shops and jewellery stores also be centralised to prevent or deter armed robberies?

"What about other sectors that are risky too?"

'Do not succumb to fear of terror'

He said the country should not succumb to the fear of terror by imposing unnecessary regulations on the private sector.

“Overreacting and dictating where businesses can operate, simply because the police are unable to conduct proper surveillance, is wrong.

"This will play into the hands of the criminals, and will also hinder entrepreneurs from bringing their services to where their customers are," he said.

He suggested that the police instead focus on improving their counter-terrorism and anti-crime activities "to become as efficient as their work in monitoring what people say on Twitter, and their monitoring of political activities".

Following the wake of the grenade attack at Movida lounge in Puchong two weeks ago, Khalid had, on July 4, asked state governments to concentrate entertainment centres in a centralised location to make it easier to provide security.

The IGP's suggestion was met with mixed reactions as some patrons of entertainment outlets said such a proposal would make them an easy target while others felt it would make these places much more safer.