Abang Johari (third left) together with (from left) Noriah, Pemanca Rosli Sahari, Dayang Madinah and others giving their thumbs-up to involvement of housewives in crime prevention programmes when visiting an exhibition held in conjunction with the event yesterday. — Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi
CCTV cameras to be installed in four villages in Satok constituency to monitor security
KUCHING: Four villages in Satok constituency – Kpg Bintangor, Kpg Sungai Lajem, Kpg Muhibbah and Kpg Kudei – will probably be the first in the state to utilise closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras to monitor security.
Housing Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg, who is also Satok assemblyman, said installation works on the CCTVs, costing about RM400,000, would commence February next year.
“We are going to work together with the police and Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) to identify the areas that are strategic for us to install the CCTVs. The information from the CCTVs will also be made accessible to the community leaders,” he said when launching the Petra Jaya parliamentary-level Women Anti-Crime Programme here yesterday.
The Tourism Minister also said he would monitor the effectiveness of the CCTVs, especially in helping to deter street crimes and if found to be effective, the initiative would be expanded gradually to other areas.
“DBKU must be able to do the maintenance of the CCTVs and there must also be a database centre at the new police station that will be built at the river mouth of Sungai Bintangor so that the police can monitor the areas.”
He pointed out that CCTVs had been proven to be effective in reducing street crimes like the ones installed at Kuching Waterfront, where snatch thefts used to be rampant.
He, however, was quick to add that the increase in security measures such as the installation of CCTVs did not mean that crime was rampant in the areas involved, saying it was just a precaution to ensure the safety of the people there.
He emphasised that the CCTVs were not meant to replace the roles of the neighbourhood watch committees and patrolling schemes, but rather to facilitate them in monitoring their villages.
Apart from CCTVs, Abang Johari also announced that a police station would be built strategically at the river mouth of Sungai Bintangor, as part of the measures to beef up security around the area and the waterways at Sarawak River.
He said construction of a bridge from Kpg Nombor 3, across Sungai Bintangor river mouth to Kpg Bintangor, Kpg Masjid, Brooke Dockyard and Kuching Waterfront was currently on-going.
“I have allocated RM1.6 million for the police station because we also need to pay land compensation. The police station will not only be manned by general duties police officers but also the Marine Police. We will have a jetty there and the Marine Police will be equipped with water scooter to patrol the river.
“I did this (build a police station) after receiving feedback from community leaders that there were times crimes were committed via the river and some even threw things that they had stolen into the river.”
His wife Datin Amar Jumaani Tuanku Bujang, Petra Jaya Parliamentary Constituency Women, Family and Community Development Council chairperson Senator Datuk Dayang Madinah Tun Openg and state Women and Family Development Department director Noriah Ahmad were among those attending the event.