By LESTER KONG | Mar 12, 2010

CCTV link between KL and Putrajaya

lester@thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: All of the closed-cicuit television (CCTV) cameras here and in Putrajaya will be linked to a “nerve centre” enabling authorities to better detect street crimes.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusof said an integrated centre will be set up to link and manage the 430 CCTVs operated by the police, KL City Hall, and the Housing and Local Government, Works and Transport Ministries.

“CCTV is an important tool to take action on street crimes. There is a need to integrate the CCTVs operated by the police and various ministries,” he told reporters after a meeting at the KL police headquarters yesterday.

“Police will conduct the supervision and help direct control and act on crimes. We will send personnel to upgrade skills in this field with suppliers of the CCTVs and its applications,” the minister said.

He added that training and supervision at the centre would be handled by the police.

Abu Seman said the ministry would integrate the CCTVs the soonest possible.

“We want it as soon as possible to implement the programmes under the National Key Results Area (NKRA). We need it very urgently to solve these street crime problems,” he added.

The Home Ministry aims to reduce the crime index by 5% and street crimes by 20% this year, as part of the NKRA under the Government Transformation Programme.

The CCTVs located in strategic places under the care of the various ministries involved included the city centre, public transportation stops and hubs, public walkways, housing areas and commercial complexes, Abu Seman said.

He also said that the Government would continuously increase the number of CCTVs in areas where street crimes were likely to be committed.