The experts suggested better urban spaces, stronger community policing, earlier intervention to calm tensions, and anger management programmes, as alternatives to punishment alone.
P. Sundramoorthy of Universiti Sains Malaysia said that while violent crime is often seen as premeditated, many incidents happen in the heat of the moment out of anger, ego or sudden conflict.
“It happens when people react badly in tense situations and things spiral out of control,” he said. “If someone is acting in the heat of the moment, they are unlikely to stop and weigh the consequences in a rational way.”
Policymakers must distinguish between violence used to achieve a goal – such as robbery – and violence that breaks out impulsively during emotionally charged encounters, such as assaults, fights and road rage, where people may lash out before thinking through the consequences.
Another criminologist, Haezreena Begum Abdul Hamid, a senior lecturer at Universiti Malaya, said punishment alone was unlikely to be enough. “It does not automatically make a person remorseful or help them understand the harm they have caused.”
She said some cases, including domestic disputes, fights and other rage-driven incidents, may erupt suddenly, while others, such as robberies, snatch thefts, acid attacks and revenge-driven violence, are more likely to involve planning and intent.
She said a prison sentence may still be necessary in some cases, especially where a person poses a danger, but prison alone is not sufficient unless it is combined with education, support and rehabilitation.
Sundramoorthy said violent crime often clusters in high-stress urban settings; crowded, stressful or poorly managed spaces can raise the risk of violent confrontations.
He said better lighting, cleaner surroundings and more active use of shared public spaces could help reduce the risk, especially in dense neighbourhoods.
Both experts also pointed to the need for stronger community policing and earlier intervention to calm tensions before conflicts turn physical.
Haezreena said such efforts are still uneven and depend heavily on public participation. She also supported more anger management and conflict-handling programmes, especially for young people.
“We need more of this, especially to help people manage anger and deal with conflict before things get out of hand,” she said.