Police to gazette Malacca as no-fly zone for drones during polls

 

The police plan to gazette Malacca as a zone prohibited from flying drones during the state election to ensure security and public order.

Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department director Hazani Ghazali said the proposal was still under discussion with the attorney-general and it was expected to be finalised tomorrow.

He said, however, that the use of drones for political parties in the state during the Malacca polls would be allowed but with strict conditions including obtaining a permit from the authorities, including the Malaysian Civil Aviation Authority (CAAM).

"For me, drones are a threat. They can be used for good and bad, including creating threats and provocation. Drones can be used to carry weapons, poison gas, scalding liquids and bombs.

"Drones may also be used for crash landings (like a missile) on certain groups that may (be due to) dissatisfaction and so on," he told reporters after officiating at the closing ceremony of the Light Strike Force (LSF) Course at the Malacca Police Contingent Headquarters yesterday.

Also present were Malacca police chief Abdul Majid Mohd Ali and his deputy Razali Abu Samah.

Commenting further, Hazani said drones that were flown without the permission of the authorities during the Malacca election period would be taken down by police.

Roadblocks

In another development, he said a total of 17 roadblocks will be mounted in Malacca, including at the state's entry points and hidden routes during the duration of the polls to ensure no movement of irrelevant individuals into the state.

"We will check the vaccination certificates of individuals who enter Malacca and if they return to vote, we will check whether they are registered as voters in the state," he added.

Earlier, he said 17 LSF teams involving 159 officers and personnel, 84 personnel of the Public Order Riot Unit (Poru) and 128 members of the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) were ready to maintain peace and order in the state during the Malacca polls.

- Bernama