Guan Eng moots emergency funds for manpower so police stations won’t have to close gates at 10pm
PETALING JAYA, July 11 — DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng has called on the government to provide emergency funding and recruit an additional 3,348 police personnel to ensure that the gates of police stations can stay open after 10pm.
Lim today issued a statement in response to Home Minister Senator Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail’s announcement that gates of police stations in remote and rural areas will close after 10pm due to security concerns.
Lim noted that the announcement was also mocked by MCA leaders, who questioned why public hospitals and convenience stores could remain open 24 hours a day but not police stations.
He then said the proposal would bolster the police force, which is reportedly lacking some 5,000 personnel.
“Ever since Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail announced in Parliament that the gates of police stations in remote and rural areas will be closed after 10pm, certain irresponsible quarters have taken advantage to laugh at the police by twisting Saifuddin’s remarks to closing of police stations after 10pm,” Lim said in a statement.
Saifuddin had explained that the move was necessary to combat any untoward incident. This came after an attack by extremists on the Ulu Tiram police station in Johor that saw two police personnel killed.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain previously assured the public that the force will still continue to provide services around the clock, despite the order to close the station gates after 10pm.
