The police Light Strike Force personnel try to calm the ‘unruly supporters’ during the exercise at the carpark area of the MBKS community hall. — Photo by Kong Jun Liung
KUCHING: The Kuching District Police are preparing to face the worst case scenario that may be triggered from the heat of the general election through a series of simulation exercises.
District police chief ACP Abang Ahmad Abang Julai said the exercise would involve 1,022 police personnel who would be tested on how to react and control public disorder during the election period.
“Today’s exercise is meant to control unruly supporters of two political divides on nomination day,” said Abang Ahmad prior to the start of the exercise held at the carpark of the MBKS community hall.
Among methods used yesterday were the deployment of the police’s Light Strike Force (LSF) to control an unruly crowd who were throwing bottles and ‘threatening’ the election candidates.
Today and on Feb 24-25, the police will be conducting different scenarios which will involve election campaign, polling day and post-election period.
By conducting different scenario exercises, the police would be able to improve their policing procedures and gauge their response time in each situation.
“We have to prepare for a lot of possibilities during the election period. Hopefully, no untoward incident will take place,” said Abang Ahmad.
Other units involved in the exercise, which is being held nationwide starting yesterday, are the police special branch and Criminal Investigations Department, whose personnel have been briefed on their respective roles.
Prior to the exercise yesterday, Abang Ahmad said the police had recently conducted ‘paper move’ exercise at each district police.