KUALA LUMPUR: The police have arrested 389 people suspected to have been involved in Daesh-related activities since 2013, including six Malaysians arrested recently for allegedly planning to attack non-Muslim houses of worship and abduct and kill policemen.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamed Fuzi Harun said yesterday the arrests resulted from close monitoring and security intelligence.
The latest to be arrested were six Malaysians, on Feb 27 this year, and a Filipino national, on March 15, he said when addressing the 211th Police Day parade at the Police Training Centre here.
“The Malaysian suspects were allegedly planning to launch attacks on non-Muslim houses of worship and abduct and kill policemen. The Filipino national is wanted by the Philippine authorities for having been involved in cases of kidnapping for ransom and several murder attempts,” he said.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa and Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Alwi Ibrahim were also present at the event.
Mohamad Fuzi said the police force had maintained excellence, helping to reduce the crime index by 13,186 cases or 11.7 per cent last year compared to 2016.
“Violent crimes dropped by 960 cases of 4.3 per cent and property crimes by 12,226 cases or 13.6 per cent.
“Based on the threshold set, the crime index showed a drop of 9.7 per cent from January to March 15 this year while violent crimes dropped by 16.2 per cent and property crimes by 7.9 per cent, he said.
Mohamad Fuzi said that though the crime index had dropped, the fear-of-crime phenomenon continued to grip the people, and the police would hold more police-community programmes.
On the preparations for the coming general election, he said the police force was at the highest level of readiness, having drawn up strategic programmes since last year.
“This includes the initiative of the Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department in conducting GE14 simulation exercises throughout the country,” he said.
On the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone), Mohamad Fuzi said the level of security was at the maximum there in the face of the still-active threat of abductions for ransom by the Abu Sayyaf and other militant groups.
“Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God), no Malaysians became the victims of abduction in the ESSZone waters last year,” he said. — Bernama