KUCHING: ACP Shamsul Kasim has been appointed as the Sarawak Marine Police Region Five team commander.
He took over from acting commander Supt Abdul Rahman Mat Hasam yesterday at the team’s base in Bintawa here.
The handing over of duty was witnessed by Marine Operations Force commander SAC Mohd Yusoff Mamat.
Shamsul said he was grateful for the opportunity to lead the Region Five team.
“I have learned this quote from the previous commanders — ‘To be a leader is not about position but it is about action’.
“Thus, I hope that everyone will work together,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mohd Yusoff said it was not an easy task being the commander of the Sarawak Marine Police Region Five.
“Offences such as environmental crimes, human trafficking and migrant smuggling, smuggling of drugs, goods (cigarettes and liquor), weapons…need to be focused on.”
He praised team members for their dedication, hard work and sacrifice to ensure the success of operations.
“Hopefully, under the new leadership, the team will achieve further success.”
On the matter of allowance, he revealed that “we have existed for over 72 years and still we do not have an allowance.”
“I have brought this matter up with the higher-ups and we are working to bring this to the government, to approve the allowance for marine police.
“In the PDRM (police), all units have theirs and we (marine) do not, so we are pursuing this to boost morale and strengthen the spirit among members,” Mohd Yusoff assured.
He also said the public should be made aware of the job of the marine police through social media, print and electronic media as well as its own website.
The ceremony also witnessed the handing over of Sarawak Marine Police Region 5 Family Association chairmanship between Maizatulsheha Abu Bakar and Marzuin Shuib, the new chairman.
