Cops to use GIS in Iskandar Malaysia

25 February 2010 , By The Star

The policing of crime hotspots in Iskandar Malaysia will be enhanced by the implementation of the Geographical Information System (GIS).

Iskandar Regional Development Authority’s (Irda) chief executive officer Ismail Ibrahim said the system would be used by the Johor police for data collection and reference.

“It captures, stores, analyses, manages and presents data linked to a specific location,” he said, adding that the information would be displayed on a map-based format.

Ismail said that GIS technology had been used in criminology, scientific investigations, geographic history, marketing, logistics and prospectivity mapping in other countries for a few years now.

“We are in discussions with the police on training its personnel on the use of the software,” he said, adding that the training would last two weeks to a month depending on the individual.

Ismail was speaking to reporters at a press conference after handing over two GIS-equipped computers to the police at the state police headquarters here recently.

He said that RM200mil had been allocated under the Ninth Malaysia Plan for infrastructure and security development in Iskandar Malaysia.

Johor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff said that many policemen and policewomen had shown interest in the software.

The system would make it easier for the police to store and view data on a specific location, he said.

The police were also in discussions with Irda over issues related to foreign investors, state security, community policing posts and the allocation of 2,000 integrated CCTVs for Iskandar Malaysia, he said.

Forums would be held to correct foreign investor misconceptions on crime in the city, he said, adding that the forums could allay the investors’ security concerns.

DCP Mohd Mokhtar said that Supt Raja Sharom Raja Abdullah and Deputy Supt Kalawan Singh would lead a task force dealing with problems faced by investors.

“Foreign investors who have enquiries or wish to lodge reports can contact Supt Raja Sharom or DSP Kalawan directly at 012-373 2111 or 019-776 9767, respectively,” he said.

Alternatively, they can call the police hotline at 07-2212 999.