IPOH: The Home Ministry remains committed to enhancing the assets of the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and other agencies under its purview, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
He said this is an ongoing effort, which includes improving the safety features of vehicles to minimise risks to the personnel operating them.
“We have a responsibility to implement improvements moving forward. That is our priority. However, with regard to yesterday’s accident involving the FRU (Federal Reserve Unit), it is still too early to determine the cause.
“It may have resulted from human error on the part of the lorry driver, but we will leave it to the police to conduct a full investigation,” he told reporters after visiting the family of FRU personnel Lance Cpl Damarrulan Abdul Latif, one of the nine victims who perished in the tragic crash along Jalan Chikus–Sungai Lampam in Teluk Intan yesterday.
He met with the late officer’s mother-in-law, Zamilah Mohd Nor, 65, his widow, Haswati Rosdi, 44, and their three children at the FRU Unit 5 quarters in Sungai Senam.
When asked about claims that the FRU truck lacked adequate safety features, Saifuddin explained that the vehicle is a combat-type unit designed with specific features for rapid response operations.
“These vehicles have their pros and cons. In critical situations, every second counts. For example, in emergencies, even the few seconds required to unbuckle a seatbelt must be considered.
“For now, I will leave the technical aspects to the relevant experts. But let me reiterate that the ministry remains fully committed to the continuous enhancement of assets for our enforcement teams,” he said.
Saifuddin also stated that while some of the PDRM vehicles may be aged, they are still in good condition due to consistent maintenance.
He added that these vehicles, despite their age, have well-documented maintenance records and remain serviceable and valuable.
