KUCHING: The proposal to equip policemen and other law enforcement officers with body cameras should be properly articulated before implementation, said Minister for Integrity and Ombudsman in the Chief Minister’s Office, Datuk Talib Zulpilip.
He said while equipping selected enforcement officers with body-mounted cameras might be necessary as part of efforts to combat abuse of power and corruption, the proposal needs more details, research and discussions, not just by experts but also directly affected stakeholders.
“Anything that is big and substantial must be properly articulated and well-researched. The state government is always supportive as long as it is practical and implemented with good intention,” he told reporters at Riverside Majestic Hotel yesterday.
When asked whether the move would be against human rights (as it intrudes into people’s privacy), Talib said he has yet to be briefed on the move.
“I have no comment on that because we don’t have full details. Sometimes these Malayan leaders just spill out their ideas spontaneously without further considerations,” he said.
Prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced on Thursday (Sept 19) that the government was looking into equipping selected enforcement personnel with body cameras to combat corruption and other alleged abuses of power.
Other measures being considered, Mahathir said, included installing more CCTVs at strategic locations, including at police lock-ups.
This came in the wake of conflicting versions of what happened in a recent shootout between police and three persons in the early hours of Sept 14 at Batu Arang, Selangor. The families of two men were shot dead by the police and since then there have been demands for answers on what actually transpired as one of the deceased is still missing.
