Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar regarded a statement published on the front page of The New Paper of Singapore on crime in Malaysia recently as malicious.

He said the newspaper should monitor the crime situation in its own country than to make speculations which were not true on crime in Malaysia.

"It is a malicious statement. It is better they look after their own backyard than try to be a busy body," he told reporters at a Ramadan programme here Saturday.

The New Paper, in its July 31 publication, published an article with the title "Welcome to Malaysia where ... Death is Cheap and Staying Alive Costly' which also stated it took only $2,000 (RM5,000) to hire a hitman.

The article received negative feedbacks from various quarters which described it as unethical and urged the newspaper to apologise for insulting Malaysia.