This article first appeared here.

IT TOOK only one shooter to kill 39 people and injure 70 on New Year’s Day in Istanbul although 17,000 police personnel were on duty. According to Turkish media, the killer arrived in a taxi, retrieved a bag from the trunk and removed the automatic barrel and began to shoot.

The first to die was a policeman just outside the upscale nightclub, bodyguards and a tour guide standing near the entrance. On entering the Reina nightclub, the gunman sprayed bullets at random. The killing spree lasted seven minutes.

This incident clearly demonstrates that police presence in large numbers by itself does not prevent acts of terror and violence.

The public must understand that they too play the role as whistleblowers when they have information on individuals or groups involved in activities related to terror. Information is priceless to law enforcement agencies in preventing acts of violence.

Malaysia cannot take safety for granted. Key leaders have issued statements that the threat by IS and related groups cannot be underestimated.

Acts of terror and violence can be prevented if society provides valuable information on suspected or known extremists. Police intelligence can only be effective if whistleblowers are willing to come forward and share information.

Members of the public have a responsibility and moral obligation to engage with the police in preventing horrific and merciless killings.

Both police and public must take equal initiative and responsibility to engage with each other. We have been fortunate in this nation that no suicide bombers and shooters have targeted large public gatherings.

Several thousand police personnel on duty may have prevented any violent acts but this cannot be taken for granted. Acts of terror and violence are colour blind.

It does not discriminate based on nationality, ethnicity, religion, gender, age group, and social class. It only aims to create maximum destruction to create fear in society.

We must not submit to fear and fulfil the wishes of terror groups.

Therefore, we must engage and bond with our men and women in blue to curb terror and extremists groups from flourishing in our society.

P. Sundramoorthy
Research Team on Crime and Policing
School of Social Sciences
Universiti Sains Malaysia