Smartphone users can report crime in real time from Aug 16

KUCHING: A new mobile application to allow the public to report crime in real time is among several initiatives to enhance security and boost the people's confidence.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said a total of five million users will be registered to use the application under the National Blue Ocean Strategy. "The new application which will allow smartphone users to report crimes in real time to the police command centre will be launched on Aug 16," he told reporters after attending a Hari Raya open house hosted by Deputy Home Minister Masir Kujat here.
"Although national security is at its optimum level, measures for preparedness to face any incident must always be in place and constantly improved, not just among the security forces but also among the general public," he said.
Referring to the shooting of a 43-year-old moneylender in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, Ahmad Zahid said such incidents had affected public confidence.
As such, several initiatives, such as the new mobile application and more proactive measures by the police, will be introduced.
Besides stationing more policemen at crime-prone areas, Zahid said the "Ops Cantas" crime-prevention operation launched by the police early this year after several shooting incidents in the country, should be given an impetus and relaunched as "Ops Cantas 2.0".
Last month, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, in a Twitter post, announced that 646 people were detained in the country under Ops Cantas between January and June this year.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also the home minister, said the ministry has proposed to the government to repair some 7,900km of border fences erected in the north of the country in the 1990s, although it is aware of the constraints faced.
He added that he fully supports Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak's statement on Wednesday that the government would not apologise for prioritising the security and well-being of the people of Malaysia.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid revealed that to date, seven wardens in a prison in the country had voluntarily asked to undergo deradicalisation after being influenced by the ideology of prisoners detained for terrorism.
He said suspects detained for terrorism who are categorised as "ideological criminals", would undergo deradicalisation, and be curbed from spreading their beliefs to other convicts.
"We have since begun isolating these "ideological criminals" as their crimes are motivated by their ideology," he said, adding that the Kamunting detention camp, which formerly held Internal Security Act detainees, would be used to hold terror suspects.
He said the detention camp, has since been refurbished and a new block built to detain such suspects. — Bernama