DBKL wants high-risk businesses to install CCTVs

KUALA LUMPUR: All high-risk business outlets should install closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras outside their premises as part of war against crime.
These include entertainment outlets and those operating until late night.
KL mayor Datuk Seri Mhd Amin Nordin Abd Aziz revealed that Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is trying to make it mandatory for these outlets to install CCTVs.
"We trying to make it mandatory for those outlets because this is where certain crimes like drug usage in some entertainment outlets always happens.
"Furthermore, with these outlets installing CCTVs, it would enable the authorities to easily retrieve the footage and have them as evidence whenever a crime occurs," Mhd Amin Nordin said after meeting some of the participants of the KL Tower International Jump 2016 (KLTIJM 2016).
The event will be held until Oct 3.
He added that although it would not be mandatory for lower-risk business outlets to follow suit, they too are encouraged to participate in the move as it would help to prevent crimes like robberies and snatch thefts from taking place.
Asked how DBKL plans to make it mandatory and when it will be implemented, Mhd Amin Nordin said DBKL plans to make it as part of the licensing requirement and when it will be implemented would depend on City Hall's licensing department as they are still in the midst of discussing the proposal with the relevant agencies.
However, according to sources close to DBKL, the move will most likely be implemented next year as any business licence renewal or application is done either early or end of the year.
In an immediate response, SME Association of Malaysia president Datuk Michael Kang felt that it is reasonable to have those high-risk businesses to install CCTVs outside their premises because those are the ones that need supervision all the time.
Kang also suggested that those who have installed the surveillance cameras should link them to the nearest police station or monitoring centres so that they can provide some additional assistance whenever needed.
On the other hand, Secretariat for the Advancement of Malaysian Entrepreneurs (SAME) chief executive officer Neil Foo said while it is good for City Hall to encourage high-risk businesses to install the CCTVs, they should offer some tax incentive as it could help to reduce their operating cost.
"However, I still feel that the authority should not burden the business sector as security is the responsibility of the authority. Hence, we cannot force businesses on this matter unless with their own willingness," Foo said recently.
Earlier last month, the mayor revealed that DBKL was mulling the idea of making it mandatory for all business operators to install CCTVs outside their premises as a licensing requirement for the purpose of crime prevention.
He added that the move would also complement the 1,000 CCTVs that DBKL has already installed around the city centre which are mostly located along the main roads.