Fat’s off to the police force

Getting into shape: Police officers working out at the gym.

KUALA LUMPUR: A pilot project to trim the fat in the police force has been launched.

If the fat stays, the personnel and officers risk not getting promoted or confirmed, said Bukit Aman’s Director of Management Comm Datuk Zulkifli Abdullah.

In the latest effort to combat obesity, a new programme called Trim N Fit was launched yesterday and 35 “chubby” personnel and officers from the federal police’s management department have been selected to participate.

“It’s a pilot project to ensure that policemen stay fit during their service. Our main task is to enforce the law and maintain public order. Therefore, we need our men to always be fit.”

He said some were fit when they joined but put on the pounds because they let themselves go because of work and poor discipline in maintaining a healthy diet.

“Unless you have a chronic illness, you have no excuse,” he said at the launch at Bukit Aman.

“Although we have done something similar in the past, there was no drastic measure in ensuring the health of our men. We need a formula that works,” Comm Zulkifli said.

“That’s why we can’t start this programme nationwide simultaneously.

“We don’t just want fit officers and personnel, we also want them to have no health complications.

“We are starting with 35 personnel and officers, including myself, from my department first,” he said, adding that the programme was also be a collaboration with the Putrajaya and Federal Territory health departments.

Comm Zulkifli said the six-month programme would be piloted in Bukit Aman before being implemented nationwide.

“With the right diet, health regime and mindset, we will be able to see the fruits of our labour.

“So far, we have about 11,000 obese personnel and officers but that’s only a conservative number,” he said, adding that they expected change within two to three years.

“For those who have been ‘certified’ fit, we will also make random checks to ensure they still are fit after the programme,” he said, adding that police top guns were not excluded from participation.

The participants, who will be undergoing gym regimes and a healthy diet, were selected based on their BMI level which exceeded 25kg/m2.

The programme’s objective is to ensure they lose about 5% to 10% of their weight, body fat and waistline within six months.

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