JOHOR BARU: No Singaporeans have been the victims of crime in Johor since the two countries reopened land borders, says Comm Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat.

The Johor police chief also rubbished a report by a Singapore portal that listed seven supposedly unsafe areas in Johor Baru to avoid when travelling here.

“When the borders reopened on April 1, I stationed 1,600 personnel and officers at 41 known major public areas throughout Johor to safeguard the people, including foreign travellers.

“So far, not a single foreign traveller that has visited Johor has lodged a report with the police saying they have been a crime victim,” he said in a press conference held at the state police headquarters here Thursday (June 2).

Comm Kamarul Zaman added that such a report was irresponsible and an attempt to tarnish the image of the police and state.

“The police have always received good cooperation from the state government to combat and lower crime rate in Johor,” he said.

However, he said that the police had recently arrested a Singaporean couple for domestic problems resulting in a stabbing.

Comm Kamarul Zaman said police received a report in the wee hours of Tuesday (May 31) morning about a Singaporean woman who was stabbed with a knife to her right buttock at an apartment in Taman Mount Austin here.

“The couple was renting a unit at the apartment to stay for a few days. However, they got into a heated argument and the 34-year-old male suspect then stabbed his 29-year-old girlfriend.

“Both the suspect and victim tested positive for drugs,” he said, adding that the couple have since been charged in court.

Comm Kamarul Zaman reminded foreign travellers to always respect Malaysia’s laws when they travelled into Johor.