KOTA TINGGI, MALAYSIA - The Home Ministry has forwarded a proposal to revise the salary and other incentives for the police force to the Civil Service Department.

Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said the ministry was looking at adjusting the lowest salary, allowances, incentives and welfare benefits to better reflect their responsibilities.

"They are fighting an urban warfare in terms of law and order and their responsibility to the public is huge. We want to adjust and streamline their benefits and allowances."

Syed Hamid said the police force suffered from a lack of manpower, with the existing team having to multi-task and share more responsibilities without any incentives.

He said a constable could be earning as low as RM800 a month with a housing allowance of RM350, which was deemed as inadequate for a personnel with such a heavy responsibility.
"It is important that they earn an income commensurate with their responsibility."

He said the ministry also looked at the working environment at stations and the condition of staff quarters.

"Some older stations are in a dilapidated condition. The stations and the quarters should be upgraded so that the police can carry out their duties more effectively."

He said with support from state governments, police were offered plots of lands at a nominal fee to build new stations.

"We are glad to accept the Johor government's offer of land in Kempas, Skudai and Nusajaya to build police stations and quarters," he said after officiating the Johor community policing campaign at the Kota Tinggi Municipal Council field here yesterday.

He said community policing, similar to Rukun Tetangga, offered the community an active role in curbing crime in their neighbourhood.

"We have seen successful community policing in Johor, especially Muar, and we hope other neighbourhoods will emulate it."