Sites for new GOF border control posts undecided

KUCHING: The locations for seven new border control posts for the General Operations Force (GOF) in Sarawak will be finalised in the near future, says Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani.

He said police had also obtained the views of Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg to get mutual agreement on the locations of the posts along the Sarawak-Kalimantan border.

According to him, the allocation to build the new border control posts has also been approved by the government and it should be spent this year.

“Therefore, we discussed with Abang Johari to ensure the locations of these posts are really suitable, strategic and able to play their roles well.

“In addition, we also want the posts to provide basic police services such as a place to lodge police reports for residents living in the areas near the post,” he told Bernama after paying a courtesy call on Abang Johari at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here yesterday.

Commenting further, Acryl Sani said police were also in discussions with the Sarawak government to build border roads to enable authorities such as the GOF to conduct patrols.

On the strength of police personnel in Sarawak, he said a new GOF Battalion in Sri Aman will be created to strengthen control in the state.

“The efforts to open the GOF Battalion in Sri Aman are now in the final stages, where we are getting positions filled. Once it is operational, we will be able to further strengthen control in Sarawak,” he said.

Meanwhile, in Kuala Lumpur, Bukit Aman revealed that a Bill to address the welfare of retired and former policemen is being drafted.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said that it would be done by end of the year.

“A special committee that was created on April 12 has been tasked with writing the draft,” he said in his speech at the 38th general assembly of the Retired Senior Police Officers Association of Malaysia (Respa) at the Royal Malaysia Police College here yesterday.

Razarudin said that the draft would be sent to the Home Ministry once it is completed, and they expect the Bill to be presented to Parliament by the end of the year at the latest.

Regarding the Pingat Jasa Pahlawan Negara (PJPN), Razarudin said ceremonies would resume after a two-year absence due to the pandemic.

“The government has allocated RM102,000 for the medal-giving ceremony at the contingent level involving 6,800 people.

“In addition to this, the giving out of PJPN medals without ceremonies will be conducted at all contingents from time to time,” he said.