Bukit Aman: Leave for overseas holidays frozen until May

PETALING JAYA: Leave for overseas travel for all Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) personnel has been frozen in preparation for the coming general election, said Bukit Aman’s Management Depart­ment director.

Comm Datuk Seri Abdul Ghafar Rajab said the freeze, which came into effect on Wednesday, is applicable through March, April and May.

“This order is for all PDRM personnel, including the top leadership of Bukit Aman.

“It is part of our preparations for the coming elections,” he told The Star yesterday.

“Freezing of all leave, including for domestic travel, will be imposed once the date of the election is announced,” Comm Abdul Ghafar added.

“Once (the date) is announced, we will do the necessary.”

However, working trips overseas, especially for Bukit Aman directors, are still permitted.

“Such trips, including commitments by the directors to attend conferences and other important events, are still allowed.

“They constitute as working trips,” he said, adding that only overseas holiday leave had been frozen.

Comm Abdul Ghafar also said the department had made all the necessary preparations to provide manpower support for the elections.

“We are ready to provide the necessary assistance whenever and wherever it is required,” he said.

In terms of operational preparations for the elections, Comm Abdul Ghafar said it was under the purview of the Bukit Aman Internal Se­­curity and Public Order Depart­ment.

The deputy director of the Inter­nal Security and Public Order Depart­­ment, Deputy Comm Datuk Azizan Abu Bakar, said PDRM had some 130,000 personnel ready to be sent out during the elections.

According to DCP Azizan, PDRM had conducted multiple drills in preparation for the polls.

“We held a series of exercises to ensure all personnel are prepared for any eventuality. The last batch of exercises will be conducted early next month,” he added.

He said the exercises were important in evaluating PDRM’s pre­paredness.

The exercise scenarios were based on four situations during the general election period; after Parlia­ment is dissolved, nomination day, polling day and the announcement of the results.