The Government is ready to expand the Royal Malaysia Police's Motorcycle Patrolling Unit (URB) if it is found to be effective in reducing the crime rate in the country, said Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
The Prime Minister said the unit's effectiveness will be reviewed within six months before the government decides to increase the allocation for the expansion.
"I hope URB will be given the opportunity to do its job, within six months, we will do a review.
"If the buddy system ( patrolling in pairs) employed by the unit is found to be effective and very beneficial, then the government is willing to add more members to beef up its strength.
"No need to wait for Budget 2014, even in Budget 2013 we can add more to show that we are committed and serious to fight crime," he said when launching the unit in Bandar Kinrara, Puchong Wednesday.
He said the government was committed and serious in fighting crime to meet the demands of the people who wanted to live in peace and harmony.
He said the URB would conduct round-the-clock patrols in residential areas in three shifts and also busy areas such as commercial centres, industrial parks, recreational parks and schools.
For a start, a total of 560 of the 1,000 units of Kawasaki Ninja 250 motorcycles of the unit which are equipped with a lights and siren system had been provided for the implementation of the program in four states namely Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor and Penang, he said.
When tabling Budget 2013, the Prime Minister had announced a RM20 million allocation for the setting up of the unit with 1,000 motorcycles.
Najib also acknowledged that there still a 'perception gap' regarding the government's efforts to combat crime in the country.
However, he said the government was constantly taking steps to redouble efforts to reduce the crime rate, including a provision in the 2013 budget for the implementation of the second phase of the National Key Result Area (NKRA) for fighting crime as well as introducing various other initiatives for the purpose.
"Therefore, we should not waste too much time on polemics. Instead, we should take the stand that the people still want us to redouble our efforts (on this),"he said.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister also requested that local communities provide continuous support to the government's efforts so that there no longer exists a perception gap that the crime rate in the country remained high because the fact was that under the government's transformation program and NKRAs, crime rates had been reduced to a minimum.
Also present were Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar.
The Prime Minister said the unit's effectiveness will be reviewed within six months before the government decides to increase the allocation for the expansion.
"I hope URB will be given the opportunity to do its job, within six months, we will do a review.
"If the buddy system ( patrolling in pairs) employed by the unit is found to be effective and very beneficial, then the government is willing to add more members to beef up its strength.
"No need to wait for Budget 2014, even in Budget 2013 we can add more to show that we are committed and serious to fight crime," he said when launching the unit in Bandar Kinrara, Puchong Wednesday.
He said the government was committed and serious in fighting crime to meet the demands of the people who wanted to live in peace and harmony.
He said the URB would conduct round-the-clock patrols in residential areas in three shifts and also busy areas such as commercial centres, industrial parks, recreational parks and schools.
For a start, a total of 560 of the 1,000 units of Kawasaki Ninja 250 motorcycles of the unit which are equipped with a lights and siren system had been provided for the implementation of the program in four states namely Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Johor and Penang, he said.
When tabling Budget 2013, the Prime Minister had announced a RM20 million allocation for the setting up of the unit with 1,000 motorcycles.
Najib also acknowledged that there still a 'perception gap' regarding the government's efforts to combat crime in the country.
However, he said the government was constantly taking steps to redouble efforts to reduce the crime rate, including a provision in the 2013 budget for the implementation of the second phase of the National Key Result Area (NKRA) for fighting crime as well as introducing various other initiatives for the purpose.
"Therefore, we should not waste too much time on polemics. Instead, we should take the stand that the people still want us to redouble our efforts (on this),"he said.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister also requested that local communities provide continuous support to the government's efforts so that there no longer exists a perception gap that the crime rate in the country remained high because the fact was that under the government's transformation program and NKRAs, crime rates had been reduced to a minimum.
Also present were Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar.
