When Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail announced in Parliament on Tuesday that the gates of police stations will be closed after 10pm, all kinds of thoughts emerged.
Some were serious, others were thoughtful, and a few were contentious.
However, yesterday, the clarification from Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Razarudin Husain certainly provided relief and respite to the public.
He assured that the public could continue to lodge complaints and reports at stations after that time and the 10pm closure involved police stations in remote or rural areas.
The gate closures, he said, will be implemented after the standard operating procedure on the matter is presented to Bukit Aman Management Department director Azmi Kassim.
Initially, Saifuddin’s statement did not give the public confidence that the police station was a safe place to be.
It gave rise to so many doubts, misapprehensions, and questions. Among them:
If police officers do not feel safe in their workplaces at night, can ordinary citizens have worry-free nights on the streets or in their homes?
If police officers cannot protect themselves, how will they protect ordinary people?
Like restaurants that announce “last orders” 15 minutes before closing time, will there be a siren in police stations to shoo away people?
Would Joe Public have to wait till morning to report a serious crime that happened around midnight?
For safety reasons, will police be off the roads and no checks or inspections will be carried out at night?
Terrorist threats
Saifuddin, in a reply to Abd Ghani Ahmad (PN-Jerlun) in the Dewan Rakyat, said: “The police station is where people come to lodge their complaints but at the same time, the police station is also a target, so we need to balance the security measures”.
Understandably, this was decided following the brutal attack by a knife-wielding masked man at the Ulu Tiram police station on May 17. Two police personnel - Ahmad Azza Fahmi Azhar, 22, and Muhamad Syafiq Ahmad Said, 24 - were killed.
It is also understandable that there are threats from terrorists as indicated in the arrest and prosecution of people related to the Ulu Tiram attack.
Experts have warned that Islamic State (IS) ideology continues to be spread by those who still believe in its struggle.
Despite the terror organisation no longer having a significant territorial grip, IS ideology persists.
This poses a constant security threat to the country while the surface situation suggests otherwise.
The elucidation by the IGP certainly helps allay fears that even our police stations are not safe, prompting us to ask if terrorists would be so bold and brazen as to try and enter the Dang Wangi or Petaling Jaya police headquarters in the heart of the Klang Valley.
Nation’s security
The police force is entrusted with the nation’s security. The safety of citizens is paramount and easing their fear and apprehension is a given.
I certainly believe that our police officers who risk life and limb for safety should be protected, giving them confidence that their contributions are invaluable.
They are involved in a high-risk occupation but it should reflect that they are not weaklings unable to look after themselves and their workplaces.
Then, what about our police officers in uniform who ride motorcycles and keep our neighbourhoods safe at night? What kind of protection can be afforded to them?
But surely, other methodologies (which need not and should not be discussed in public for security reasons) can be used to ensure police stations, especially the armoury are safe.
Any decision must only be implemented after consultation with all stakeholders including civil society groups, the police, and especially the frontliners in police stations.
Now that the cat is out of the bag on the 10pm closure of the gates, would perpetrators cut the chain-link fences to make their way in instead? - Mkini
R NADESWARAN is a veteran journalist who writes on bread-and-butter issues. Comments: citizen.nades22@gmail.com.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.
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