Apandi unveils new guideline on use of firearms for enforcers

The Attorney-General's Chamber today unveiled a guideline on the use of firearms by armed officers on duties from enforcement agencies.

Dubbed "Firearms Usage Guideline (On-duty) 2017", the new guideline was launched by attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali after eight months of preparation.

Apandi said the new guideline would complement the guidelines of those agencies which already have their own guidelines.

"The (new) guideline will complement these existing guidelines (or standard operating procedure). For those (agencies) which do not have one, this (new one) will be their only (guideline)," he said.

In his speech, Apandi said the move to draft the guideline was initiated after a senior customs officer in Kelantan was killed when she was ramped by a four-wheel vehicle driven by a "tonto" last October.

"It struck me that one of the causes of the incident was the lack of exposure and knowledge on the use of firearms among enforcers on duty," he said.

Apandi, who had visited the deceased's family in Kelantan, said he had asked the State Customs Department for a copy of written procedure on firearms.

He then found out that the relevant document on firearms only stated how the firearms are to be kept.

"The document only emphasised the way to keep the gun to prevent violation of the Firearms Act. There is no mention at all on its use on the ground," he said.

The police, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, Customs Department, Home Ministry, Prison Department were among the 11 enforcement agencies which received the booklets on the new guideline from Apandi.

The copy of guideline, however, was not available to the media.

[More to follow]

-Mkini