KUCHING, June 11: Sarawak Community Policing Association (SCPA) proposes that a competency framework be implemented to motivate and pave the way for police personnel to move up the career ladder.
SCPA chairman Datuk John Lau made this suggestion while applauding the move to give priority to lower-ranked police personnel salaries, logistics and other requirements to enhance the integrity of the force.
“The competency framework will allow police officers to know what they need to achieve to move up and get salary increment,” Lau explained in a press statement today.
“Training, increased competency and better pay as they progressed will motivate the police force and attract talents as well.”
Yesterday, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador urged the government to consider proper remuneration for the services of police personnel as they were entrusted with great authority and power as well as an equal amount of danger.
Lau commented that police personnel put their lives on the line every day for a pittance. A new police constable (PC) recruit is paid less than RM1,500 per month, and if the PC is to be posted to major cities like Kuala Lumpur, it would incur more expenses for housing and transportation to work.
“If we want a safe and secure neighbourhood, then we should make sure our law enforcers are adequately compensated and that qualified individuals will not hesitate to make law enforcement a career option,” he said.
Lau added that due attention also ought to be given to the housing for the lower ranked staff: Some of the apartments are in very poor condition.
Police personnel should also be given some form of bonus or commission from the summonses paid by wrongdoers.
“Similar compensation model has been practised in advanced countries. If this is practised in our country, we are confident there will be less crime as police would be on the lookout to summon wrongdoers,” he reckoned.
SCPA also encourage all Malaysians to work with the police in crime prevention.
“Let us serve as an eye and ear to the police by providing the police with information as and when they find suspicious figures in the neighbourhood,” he added.
Under the leadership of Abdul Hamid, SCPA is confident Malaysia would be a better place to live in and a pleasant place for tourists to explore. — DayakDaily
