MELAKA, March 16 (Bernama) — Eight ‘Emergency Panic Buttons’ (EPB) will be installed in stages around popular tourists spots in Jonker Walk here by June in an effort to create a safe and peaceful environment.
Melaka Police Chief, Datuk Abdul Majid Mohd Ali said for a start, three EPBs will be installed at the Jalan Hang Kasturi/Hang Lekir intersection next to the A.I Hotel and Taman Antarabangsa.
He said Jonker Walk is the pilot project for the installation of the EPB system since the area receives about 4.5 million tourist visits a year. The project is being implemented in collaboration with a private company from Selangor as one of the effective methods in crime prevention.
“The emergency system is equipped with a siren that will be triggered when the button is pressed and a distress signal will be channeled to the Tourist Police Unit. Help is expected to arrive in less than seven minutes.
“Help will come in the form of the Tourist Police Unit’s Bicycle Patrol Squad, the Motorcycle Patrol Unit and the Taming Sari Squad (STS) which uses the ‘scrambler’ motorcycles,” he said to reporters after launching the EPB at Jonker Walk here today.
Also present were Melaka Tengah district police chief ACP Christopher Patit and Jonker Stree Committee chairman Datuk Gan Tian Loo.
Abdul Majid said the EPB system will be expanded to other tourist spots in the state with the cooperation of the respective local authorities (PBT).
“Ïf this pilot project is successful in reducing the crime statistics in the affected areas, we will prepare a proposal paper to expand the installation of the EPB in other popular spots because we want to give confidence to tourists who come to Melaka,” he said.
In other developments, Abdul Majid said he was prepared to deploy more personnel at bazaars and Ramadan markets that will commence operations next month to ensure that patrons follow standard operating procedures (SOP).
“Public health is very important, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, so adherence to the SOP is important to control the virus from spreading,” he added.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency