IPOH:The late Corporal Baharuddin Ramli and Corporal Norihan Tari who was badly injured in the shooting incident at the Malaysia-Thailand border early yesterday morning did not wear bulletproof vests because they were conducting an intelligence work and not patrolling.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Acyrl Sani Abdullah Sani said apart from not wearing bulletproof vests, officers or personnel involved in intelligence work were also not supplied with heavy weapons to hide their identities.

“During the incident, both of them were conducting intelligence work and not on patrol duty. According to the standard operating procedures (SOP), all security personnel on patrol duty must wear uniforms and protective equipment.

“... but when conducting intelligence work or going undercover, they cannot wear bulletproof vests and carry heavy weapons,” he said after witnessing the handing over of duties for the Perak police chief here today.
He was responding to questions raised by netizens on why the two General Operations Force (GOF) personnel from the Senoi Praaq team did not wear bulletproof vests and only armed with Walther P99 pistols.

In the 3.10 am incident, Baharuddin, 54, was shot dead while Norihan, 39, was seriously injured. He subsequently received treatment at the Tuanku Fauziah Hospital, Kangar.

Acyrl Sani said the Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department was reviewing the current SOP for patrol duty, intelligence work and prevention operations to ensure the safety of officers, personnel as well as the public.

Besides that he said the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) had applied for 36 new armoured personnel carriers (APC) to ensure the safety of personnel conducting patrols at border areas in Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan and the Eastern Sabah Security Command.

“The application was submitted last year and we hope for the first stage we can get 10 units of APC,” he said adding that some of the current APC had been used for more than 40 years.

-- BERNAMA