Police personnel on duty during the Covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia. Bernama File Photo
KUCHING (Dec 2): The number of Sarawakian police personnel in the state should not be reduced as Covid-19 has still not been eradicated, said Habitat for Indigenous and Urban Programme (Hidup) president George Young.
He said Hidup, a local non-governmental organisation (NGO), has received feedback from Sarawakians expressing their concern and disappointment regarding the move to reduce the number of police personnel of Sarawak origin serving in the state from the present 70 per cent to 40 per cent.
George Young
“2020 is not a good year to look at crime statistics. Obviously criminal activities across the state would be reduced due to Covid-19 travel and movement restrictions. Theft and house break-ins naturally would be down as people are at home most of the time.
“When the situation returns to normal post-Covid-19 pandemic, we will still need more local Sarawakian police personnel with good knowledge and strong relationships with the locals to perform effective community policing,” he said.
George also claimed that there is a risk of criminal activities increasing, even when Covid-19 were to be eradicated. as there would be many who have lost their jobs and turned to crime.
“If that happens, more Sarawakian police personnel with local knowledge, intelligence, network and insights will be needed to combat crime promptly and effectively. Not less (Sarawakian police personnel),” he added.
George was responding to remarks made by Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) Bukit Aman headquarters director of management Datuk Ramli Din, saying that the 70 per cent figure of Sarawakians serving in the state exceeded the PDRM’s target of 40 per cent of locals serving in their home state.
Ramli was also reported to have said that in view of this, PDRM will consider reducing the number in stages to about 40 per cent as part of its rotation posting procedure, especially for high profile posts and to give opportunities to senior personnel to be posted back to their home state.
According to George, many of those in the force have shared their consternation about having to uproot themselves and their families to be transferred to Peninsular Malaysia or Sabah especially considering the hardships faced during the current Covid-19 pandemic.
“It’s a major disruption to their lives, their children’s education plus the risk of being able to access and support their extended families with restrictions on travel during this pandemic,” he said.
He also said more Sarawakians are needed in the police force as they more are familiar with the languages, customs, topography and local affairs which would be the advantage of getting cooperation, information and collaboration in effective crime prevention and law enforcement.
He elaborated that in view of the shared border with Kalimantan, only the locals would be familiar enough to handle related matters, whether it be smuggling, theft, robbery or other illegal or criminal activities.
“The fact that many of the local Sarawakians have relatives or friends from the same or similar ethnic groups living in Kalimantan gives them the unique advantage to obtain intelligence that often lead to the arrest and prosecution of such criminals,” he reasoned.