We feel safe everywhere in the country

A reader says the UAE is safer than any other country. Other topics: Indonesia, speed cameras, Zayed Sports City, Emaar

A reader says the UAE’s retail stores reflect the country’s safe environment. Christopher Pike / The National

I am an Indian expatriate based in Abu Dhabi for the past 19 years and I feel privileged to live in a city where I feel safe and secure (Abu Dhabi nearly free of crime, April 24). May Allah protect this country from troubles.

One of the things that amazes me is that grocery and retail stores only have glass doors. Without any padlocks and metal shutters to cover them, they are vulnerable to burglary and theft. But I never heard of any such incident.

I do not think there are many cities in the world that are as safe as ours. This phenomenon shows how safe we are here.

Junaid Ukaye, Abu Dhabi

Concern over blasphemy law

Am I alone in feeling upset at the report about the use of blasphemy law in Indonesia (Jakarta's Christian governor loses to Muslim rival, early results show, April 20) against an outstanding Christian governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama?

Against the background of the use of blasphemy cases in Pakistan against minorities and the rise of hard-line political Islam, which the UAE has been vociferous in opposing, the fact that voters in Indonesia appear to have been influenced by hard-line rhetoric is surely an unwelcome development in the famously moderate nation.

It remains to be seen if the victor delivered by this election, Anies Baswedan, a former education minister, can succeed in running the city that Mr Purnama succeeded in doing. It’s unfortunate that he faces a possible five years in prison for lighthearted comments about his opponents.

How can the world hope to counter extremism while voters are supporting such candidates?

Andy Preston, Abu Dhabi

Let’s see all speed cameras

I would like to see a map or app showing all speed cameras in Abu Dhabi. Speed limit signs should also be placed more frequently and prominently on Abu Dhabi roads to prevent drivers from unknowingly breaking the speed limits.

Is it also too much to ask the traffic police to at least give a date and place of offence when a fine is given? At least give drivers a chance to correct their mistakes by knowing where and what traffic offence they committed.

This would also help drivers if a mistake in the system has been made. At the moment it is time-consuming and difficult to challenge possible mistakes.

Name withheld by request

Sports city plan is shocking

I wonder how many readers were as shocked as I was to read about the plans for the development of the Zayed Sports City area of Abu Dhabi – the so-called Arzanah project (Mall to be centrepiece of Zayed Sports City project, April 20).

Not only will about three-quarters of the much needed and valued sports facilities at Sports City disappear completely, but the very attractive seaside walkway through a mini forest of trees from the Hills area towards Adnec will be demolished and yet another area of seaside access for the public will vanish.

There is very limited public access to the seaside already in Abu Dhabi without a further reduction.

Denis Wallaston, Abu Dhabi

Emaar strategy went unnoticed

Thank you for your comprehensive report on this week's Emaar Properties AGM, which approved a resolution to allow the payment of bonuses to staff in the form of newly issued shares (Emaar keeps focus on growth at annual general meeting, April 18).

A great idea, but I am surprised that nobody seems to have spotted that this is a clever way of shifting the financial burden of paying bonuses out of the operational expenses of the company on to its shareholders instead, whose holdings are diluted in value without any increase in an already very meagre dividend, despite record profits. The Emaar chairman speaks of boosting the company’s value, while shareholders are not seeing this either in increased income or share price.

Jonathan Campbell-James, Dubai