PORT KLANG: The government has agreed to equip the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) with necessary armaments, with procurement to begin before year-end, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
The Home Minister said the matter had been discussed in meetings with the ministry, and the Cabinet had agreed to the need, following a shooting incident involving the Bukit Kayu Hitam AKPS commander, Mohd Nasaruddin Mohd Nasir, in February.
"We have agreed on the need for armaments, but only the type is yet to be decided. There are various options, such as taser guns or light weapons like pistols. Both options are being studied by the Home Ministry's secretary-general, in line with Cabinet instructions, which I have conveyed for implementation.
"Whether they are equipped first with taser guns or pistols, or both, is still being studied by the ministry's secretary-general," he said, at a press conference after the Home Ministry's programme to release the ashes of Quranic texts and materials, formed into blocks, into the sea aboard the Maritime Vessel (KM) Tun Fatimah, here, today.
Saifuddin said the matter cannot be delayed any longer, given the high-risk nature of AKPS duties, adding that further developments will be announced in the near future.
Previously, Saifuddin was reported as saying that the government is prepared to support the needs of AKPS, including in terms of armaments and safety equipment, to ensure that the agency can carry out its responsibilities more effectively.
In an incident on Feb 25, an SUV, driven by Mohd Nasaruddin, was reportedly shot at, at about 5.40am, at a slip road near Masjid Muhajirin in Bukit Kayu Hitam, about 1km from the Malaysia-Thailand border.
Mohd Nasaruddin, who was on his way to perform Subuh prayers, escaped unharmed. - Bernama
