MELAKA: Melaka has proposed the construction of the Melaka Tengah District Police Headquarters (IPD) and the Ayer Keroh police station to address the space constraints at the existing building, said Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.

He said the Melaka Tengah IPD operates from a building constructed in 1924, known as Malacca Volunteer Drill Hall, which was used as the administrative office for the British.

“The Melaka Tengah IPD building can only accommodate six divisions due to limited space, and because it cannot allow for the required number of personnel and logistic needs, other divisions have to be housed at other buildings.

“The proposal for the construction of the new Melaka Tengah IPD has been included in the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) under the fifth rolling plan, with an estimated cost of RM250 million on a 4.94-hectare plot of land in Krubong here,“ he said while delivering his speech during the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s working visit to the IPD here, today.

Ab Rauf said while the new building is under construction, the IPD administrative office is proposed to be relocated to the Wisma Wawasan Complex in Batu Berendam.

He said the Melaka police have also submitted a request to construct the new Ayer Keroh police station complex that operates from a shop lot after the original station was acquired to build the Melaka International Trade Centre in 2007.

“The proposal for the building construction has also been included in the 12MP with an estimated cost of RM50 million on a two-hectare land owned by the Royal Malaysia Police in Ayer Keroh,“ he said, adding that the projects aimed at providing comfort and convenience to the public. -Bernama