THE move to equip police with body-mounted cameras and have video surveillance at lock-ups will help stop slander against the force, said Abdul Hamid Bador.

The inspector-general of police said body cameras will ensure cops on duty are not involved in misconduct, while lock-up surveillance will clear the air in cases of death in custody and alleged abuse.

With the devices, he said, it will be easier to determine the culprits.

“All this while, my officers have been exposed to slander.

“In cases of death in police custody, a lot were due to the detainees’ illnesses. But, the accusations are that my men had beaten them,” he told a press conference after de facto law minister Liew Vui Keong’s visit to the General Operations Force central brigade’s quarters in Cheras today.

Liew said Putrajaya will spend RM73 million on installing video-surveillance equipment at 756 lock-ups nationwide.

He said the amount is part of a RM126 million allocation to improve police facilities.

He added that RM100 million has been set aside for the maintenance of police quarters across Malaysia this year.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said law enforcement officers will be equipped with body cameras in an effort to curb corruption and reinforce professionalism.

He also said surveillance equipment at five police lock-ups will be upgraded.

“We will enforce the wearing of body cameras for police, Immigration and Customs personnel, so that we know what they are up to… if there is corruption or abuse.

“People can complain, but we need proof. Body cameras can show us what happened. However, not all officers will wear them, only certain officers,” he said after chairing an anti-corruption meeting in Putrajaya.

He said the government has yet to decide when the decision on body cameras will be implemented. – September 20, 2019.