IPOH: Perak’s tourism police unit will be given basic training in multiple languages to help them converse with foreign tourists.
This will be a likely outcome when members of the state’s police officers undergo language courses so they can provide better services when assisting foreigners.
“Not all tourists can converse in English,” said Perak police chief Comm Datuk Mior Faridalathrash Wahid.
“Some of the unit members would be taught Mandarin, Arabic or French,” he told a press conference after the launch of the Tourism Police Unit and a townhall on safe tourism here yesterday.
“The additional languages will make them more efficient,” he said, adding that there were 35 policemen assigned to the unit.
Comm Mior Faridalathrash said the unit was reintroduced in preparation for the arrival of more foreign tourists following the reopening of the country’s borders.
“We want to let the people know that we have such a unit to assist tourists and also to make them feel safe,” he said.
“The unit will also be given training on providing information about tourist destinations,” he said.
“If there is a need to add more personnel, we will do it,” he added.
Comm Mior Faridalathrash said the unit would be based in five districts – Ipoh, Taiping, Batu Gajah, Kuala Kangsar and Manjung.
“They have already started their duties in 20 tourist hotspots in the state,” he said.
