PENANG POLICE TO LAUNCH OWN FACEBOOK

PENANG (Malaysia), Feb 11 (Bernama) -- Due to poor response from the short messaging service via the Rakan Cop programme, the state police are in the midst of launching their very own facebook to jointly fight crime with the public.

Penang police chief Ayub Yaakob said it would be more helpful to
launch a social networking site as an alternative approach to criminal cases.

Penang is a northern state in Peninsular Malaysia.

He said the aim of the site was also to ensure better communication and
foster closer relationship with the public.

"The public plays a vital role in fighting crime and we must share the
responsibility to ensure the safety of our surroundings.

"We want to work with the people and hope the launch (of the site) would
enable more people to step forward and become the eyes and ears of the police,"
he said," he told reporters here Thursday.

Meanwhile, Ayub said moves were underway to reduce street crimes by 20 per
cent by year-end as the authorities had identified Penang as one of four crime
'hotspots'.

Earlier, the police chief chaired a meeting with officials from the National
Drugs Agency, state immigration department and related agencies.

-- BERNAMA