KUALA LUMPUR: The government will not tolerate any security guard companies linked to secret society activities including employing workers with such background.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said swift and stern actions would be taken against such companies including the immediate cancellation of their operating licences.
“The Home Ministry (KDN) and police have acted swiftly against security companies found employing secret society members especially in Selangor, as police intelligence is so far confined to the state,” he said when replying to a question by Datuk Noraini Ahmad (BN-Parit Sulong) at the Dewan Rakyat sitting yesterday.
He said on April 14, 19 individuals suspected of being involved in secret societies were nabbed whereby seven of them had been charged in court for murder while the remaining were charged under the Prevention of Crime Act (POCA).
“The people need not be worried on the situation as I can assure the involvement of secret society (in security companies) is minimal and under control,” he said.
Replying to a supplementary question by Noraini on the factors causing security companies to employ secret society members, Ahmad Zahid said there are two factors, that is the company might be acquired by another owner which had links to secret society or the company’s licence might be leased to those involved in such activities.
He said, so far 48 security companies had their licences revoked for failing to meet the standard operating procedure set by KDN.
Replying to a supplementary question by Siti Zailah Muhd Yusoff (PAS-Rantau Panjang), Ahmad Zahid said there were currently 44,174 foreign security guards in the country and that only Nepalese were approved to be employed as security guards.
“There are 150,000 local security guards and the number of security companies is limited to 800 to ensure the industry is highly regulated,” he said.
Siti Zailah wanted to know to what extend was the KDN monitoring to ensure security guards were qualified and recruited legally. — Bernama