The government is always attentive to the welfare of the police to enable the force to focus wholeheartedly on crime prevention, said Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed.

He said this was in line with the target to reduce the crime index by five percent every year according to key performance indicators (KPI) for the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM).

"Security and safety of the country and people are top priority for the police and because of that police welfare is seen as an important motivation to achieve the targeted KPI," he said.

He said this in a speech at a symbolic groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Perlis police contingent headquarters (IPK) by the Raja of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail at the Senior Police Officers' Mess in Perlis, today.

Also present at the ceremony was the Raja Muda of Perlis Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail.

Nur Jazlan said the crime index in Perlis which declined by two per cent in 2014 and nine per cent in 2015 was very encouraging.

"I believe that the construction the new police headquarters at a cost of RM151 million, expected to be completed within 36 months, will ignite the spirit of the state police as well as have an impact on ongoing efforts to combat crime," he said.

Perlis police deputy chief ACP Noor Mushar Muhammad said, the land reclamation area of 41 acres (about 16.4 hectares) to build the IPK began last March.

He said the Perlis IPK was still stationed at the Kangar district police headquarters since its separation from Kedah IPK to become a new contingent in 1989.