PUTRAJAYA: The Home Ministry aims to improve Malaysia's rank in the Global Peace Index (GPI) after climbing to number ten this year, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

The Home Minister said such an index is important in order to gain investors' confidence.

"It is important as investors want to see how peaceful a country is before investing.

"While there are many parties that contribute towards the country's rank in the GPI, the police is the main law enforcement agency.

"The ranking is a testament to the hard work of the police in maintaining peace and public order in the country.

"We hope to maintain our top 10 ranking or improve upon it further," he told a press conference after launching the police's Community Safety Run at Dataran Putrajaya on Saturday (July 6).

Saifuddin said the police have to scrutinise indicators that give weightage to the ranking.

"Among the indicators are the crime index and police engagement with the public.

"We hope it can be improved upon so that we reach a higher ranking in the future," he said.

Meanwhile, on the Community Safety Run, Saifuddin commended the police for organising a successful event, which drew 10,000 participants consisting of police personnel and the public.

"It is held in conjunction with the 217th Police Day celebration.

"Such an engagement is true to the motto "The police and society are inseparable"," he said.

Given the tremendous response, Saifuddin said there was no reason the event could not be a permanent fixture in the future.

"I also urge the public to play their part in spreading crime prevention awareness such as being wary of scams and the drug menace.

"At the same time, the public can also be the eyes and ears of the police by providing relevant information on any criminal activity," he said.

It was reported that Malaysia has climbed nine spots in the 2024 Global Peace Index (GPI), now ranking 10th as one of the world's most peaceful countries this year.

According to the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) 2024 GPI, global peacefulness declined by 0.56% this year, marking the fifth consecutive year of deterioration.

Malaysia, previously ranked 19th in the 2023 GPI, has significantly improved its stand.

In comparison to neighbouring countries, Singapore ranked fifth globally in peace, followed by Indonesia (48), Laos (49), Cambodia (70) and Thailand (75).

The report highlights Malaysia's position in the top five for peacefulness in ongoing conflicts and ranks it third in militarisation.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/07/06/home-ministry-hopes-to-improve-countrys-rank-in-global-peace-index-says-minister