At Wan with the law

The Year of the Rooster dawned with the Penang police making a grand swoop on gambling dens and firecrackers. Behind these daring raids and arrests is the new Chief Police Officer Deputy Comm Datuk Christopher Wan Soo Kee who has a few tricks up his sleeve, as CHOONG KWEE KIM reveals. 

HE invented a motorcycle wheel-locking device and a motorcycle basket safety net but he is no engineer. He’s a policeman – and a top cop at that. 

Penang CPO Deputy Comm Datuk Christopher Wan Soo Kee has applied his school-acquired mechanical engineering knowledge to create practical anti-theft solutions. 

Wan at the launching of the new SMS/MMS hotline in Penang on Feb 25. The public can use the system to relay text messages and pictures of suspicious characters to the duty officer.

The former Malacca CPO has also authored a 106-page book Developing Crime Prevention Strategies – the Melaka Experience, documenting the strategies he employed during his two-and-a-half-year stint there. 

“I joined the police force in 1969 as a probationary inspector, and then spent 30 years serving at the Special Branch division of the Federal Police Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. 

“When I became Malacca CPO in 2002, it gave me tremendous opportunities to apply strategic approaches in solving crime,” said the 54-year-old father of two. 

A former student of the Penang Methodist Boys School and SM Teknik, he also holds a Diploma in Police Science (UKM), Diploma in Management Science (Intan), a Bachelor in Business Administration (RMIT) and a Masters of Business Administration (Newport). 

On Feb 1, he took over the baton as Penang CPO from Comm Datuk Othman Talib who has been promoted to Internal Security and Public Order director. 

DCP Wan’s homecoming was followed by a swift clampdown on illegal mini casinos and firecrackers during the Chinese New Year period. 

In an unprecedented move since Feb 6, police rounded up 35 people for selling and setting off firecrackers, of whom 12 had been charged in court. One offender was jailed a day and the rest fined. 

Police also busted 18 fly-by-night gambling dens and arrested 197 people during raids codenamed Ops Rooster around the same period. 

On Feb 25, DCP Wan together with Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon launched a police handphone hotline for the Penang public to relay text information via Short Messaging Service (SMS) and pictures of suspicious characters via Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS). 

The new SMS/MMS hotline [phone] complements the existing Rakan COP hotline [phone] and SMS POLISPG at 36600. 

Also unveiled the same day were DCP Wan’s inventions of the motorcycle locking device and the basket safety net. 

Analysis of their effectiveness in Malacca showed that the Crime Index for cases of motorcycle theft and snatch theft from motorcycle baskets dropped significantly. 

“I hope that in Penang, groups such as the residents associations of apartments and flats will support the installation of these devices as an anti-theft deterrent and to inculcate the habit of locking up,” he said. 

The motorcycle basket safety nets, which were sold at the Tesco hypermarket in Malacca for RM4.90 each, will soon be available at Penang Tesco. 

The innovative approaches introduced in Penang by DCP Wan got the public excited. 

As for the seemingly harmless setting off of firecrackers, as long as the law forbids it the CPO sees it as his duty to implement the law. 

“I don't want to get involved in the argument that playing with firecrackers is a tradition. 

“The Government has made a stand to ban firecrackers and the law must be enforced. 

“Rest assured that action will be taken if an activity is against the law, be it gambling or playing with firecrackers,” DCP Wan stressed during an interview at his office at the police contingent headquarters in Penang Road. 

Other successful approaches from his Malacca experience that he wishes to introduce are the Web surveillance camera system and crime alert monitoring system. 

He has also introduced the Meet-the-CPO session in Penang, a move conceived in Malacca in 2002 after taking the cue from the state government’s open-door concept every Thursday morning. 

“Public perception of the police is that, generally, we are unapproachable. 

“Because of this, they turn to the media, politicians, NGOs and write anonymous letters to voice their dissatisfaction,” he said. 

At the macro level, DCP Wan aspires to build a police force that has a high level of integrity, honesty and trustworthiness. 

Referring to the Prime Minister’s vision for a “towering Malay” personality, the CPO envisions the creation of a “towering cop” personality in the force. 

“We must develop this personality that is founded on integrity, ethical behaviour and professionalism. 

“The Malaysian police should work towards building a world-class force that works diligently and whole-heartedly in serving the public, in fighting crime and maintaining law and order.” 

DCP Wan faces a daunting challenge in Penang, for the Crime Index here is four times that of Malacca. 

“I need the cooperation of my staff in order to be effective. 

“Don’t let me be the locomotive with all the wagons missing,” the fishing and golf enthusiast said with a chuckle.  

Related Stories:The Malacca experience