KOTA KINABALU: The gruesome murder of a teenage girl whose body was found in a retention pond near Jalan Semarak in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday has led to Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) vice-chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye to ask what has seriously gone wrong in society.

In a statement here today, Lee said society was suddenly waking up to several criminal cases, including deaths, involving children and teenagers over recent years.

"Victims like Nurin Jazlin, Nurul Huda Abdul Ghani, Shalinie Mohd Nashar and Haserawati Saridi are still fresh in our minds.

"With the gruesome and brutal murder of defenseless children, can we claim we are living in a civilised age?" he asked.

Lee questioned what society was actually doing to address the issue and whether the people have identified the problems surrounding them.

"Every time a brutal crime occurs, there is to be expected a public outcry.

"The spate of violent criminal acts is certainly not characteristic of our society and we have to find ways to address them," he said.

Lee said society could not just leave safety and security matters to the relevant authorities which have worked relentlessly to fight crime and investigate causes of the horrendous acts and nature of the criminals involved.

He said parents must be constantly reminded of their primary responsibility towards protecting their children.

He urged the police to step up their presence in crime-prone areas and asked the public to be more proactive in raising the alarm on suspicious activities.

Lee also urged non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to continue to provide regular community education on crime issues, including factors that could lead to crime such as pornography which was easily made available through pirated video materials sold cheaply and through the Internet.