KL TO HAVE MORE CCTV CAMERAS, SAYS MAYOR

KUALA LUMPUR, April 17 (Bernama) -- Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) plans to
increase from 85 to 96 the number of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras
installed in busy areas like shopping complexes and tourist attractions to check
crime and safeguard public property.

Kuala Lumpur Mayor Ahmad Fuad Ismail said DBKL was in the midst of
preparing the budget for the installation of the cameras, besides making them
multi-functional as well as upgrading the quality of the footage.

"Based on our survey, the installation of CCTV cameras is very beneficial in
reducing crime, especially snatch thefts, in crime-prone areas," he told Bernama
here Thursday.

He said 49 locations in the city, including Dang Wangi, Brickfields and
Cheras, had the CCTV cameras monitored by the police installed, with 66 cameras
for traffic control and 1,100 others owned by the Integrated Transport
Information System (ITIS).

Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur Traffic Control Centre deputy controller DSP Hanafi
Md Zain said the use of CCTV cameras was vital in combating crime as the cameras
were installed in the most strategic locations.

"The CCTV cameras have been of tremendous help for the police,
especially in reviewing previous cases and facilitating further investigations,"
he said.

He said, however, investigations via CCTV cameras could be hampered if the
cameras were wrongly positioned or faulty during an incident.

Sixteen CCTV cameras were monitored by the control centre at the Kuala
Lumpur Police contingent headquarters, 19 by the Sentul police headquarters and
10 each by the Cheras, Dang Wangi and Brickfields police headquarters.

-- BERNAMA