Borders reopening: Police's cavalry strength to be beefed up with 60 additional horses

The cavalry arm of the Federal Reserve Unit of the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) will be beefed up with a further 60 horses to help strengthen control in border areas when the country's borders reopen from April 1.

Bukit Aman (Federal Police) Department of Internal Security and Public Order director Datuk Seri Hazani Ghazali said the additional horses, all from Argentina, would be brought into Malaysia soon.

"So far, PDRM has 40 horses available for deployment throughout the country and these additional horses will be stationed in Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah and Padang Besar in Perlis when the (Malaysia-Thailand) border reopens on April 1.

"These horses will be trained for various tasks (multi-tasking) such as conducting crime prevention patrols and routine patrols on a daily basis along land routes to help curb smuggling activities at the border," he told reporters after attending a reunion with the Police Field Force's (now known as the General Operations Force) 8th Battalion retirees in Pengkalan Chepa, here today.

Commenting further, Hazani said in terms of the effectiveness of the cavalry unit, it was a 'Show Of Force' to increase community confidence by showing the presence of security personnel.

"From time to time we will make improvements to further strengthen the country's border controls, including the use of cavalry units as well as existing methods such as the use of drones, Canine Unit (K9) and cooperation from other security departments.

"In terms of personnel strength for border control when the country enters the endemic phase (of the COVID-19 pandemic), it is sufficient because apart from the PGA (General Operations Force) we are also assisted by other security forces including the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency for patrols at sea and so on." he said.

-- BERNAMA