KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 — The request by police for more closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras to combat and prevent crime is being looked into by the Home Ministry.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he previously requested for allocations for more CCTV cameras to be channeled to the police force.
“The police department and the city needs more CCTV and we hope the Finance Ministry will approve the allocation soon,” he said.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said apart from CCTV cameras, the police force also needs to beef up on other modern assets and high tech equipment.
“For a long time, we have been asking for the Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Integration (C4i) System from the government which proved to be effective in combating crime.”
“The system can be used for coordination with our men on the ground to do their job faster as it will enable them to contact the control centre directly.”
He said apart from the C4i system, the force requires new police patrol cars as some of the vehicles has been in use for over eight years and have not been replaced.
Khalid had previously called for more and better quality CCTV cameras to be installed in the city following the bomb blast incident at the Cherry Blossom Club in Bukit Bintang on Oct 9.
He said lack of street cameras had hampered surveillance efforts in the city.
In an unrelated matter, Zahid said the police report by Batu Kawan Umno division deputy chief Datuk Khairuddin Abu Hassan against the state investment arm 1Malaysia Development Fund (1MDB) on Friday for alleged mismanagement of funds had nothing to do with the party.
“He had lodged a police report against 1MDB in his personal capacity not in the capacity of a division leader,” said Zahid.
Khairuddin had in his police report called for a detailed and comprehensive investigation, urging the authorities to interrogate 1MDB’s directors as well as representatives of any company implicated in the scandal.
“1MDB is an off-budget agency, operating according to off-budget agency guidelines. Now that a report has been lodged, police will open investigation papers and will act in line with normal investigating procedures,” said Zahid.
