KUALA LUMPUR: Enforcement officers should not be allowed to carry firearms while on operations.

Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation vice-chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, who said this yesterday, said he was also against the idea of placing enforcement officers in secure quarters.

"It will prohibit interaction between them and society and discourage the public from providing them with important information.

"As for firearms, we already have cases involving misuse of them and I personally think it is not yet necessary for enforcement officers to carry firearms."

Lee was commenting on a suggestion by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, regarding the issuance of firearms to enforcement officers.

Jamil had made the remarks following the shooting death of Pahang Islamic Religious Department enforcement chief Ahmad Rafli Abdul Malik on Sunday.

Rafli was killed in front of his home in Indera Mahkota 2, Kuantan, with two close-range shots to the chest by unidentified gunmen.

Lee was speaking after handing a personal cheque for RM2,000 to Tabung Bencana NSTP-Media Prima for victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

"I am responding as a Malaysian who is touched by the suffering of the victims in this disaster. The public and corporations should come forward and contribute to our brothers and sisters in the Philippines."

The category-five typhoon, with winds reaching 313kph, forced millions of Filipinos out of their homes, shattering infrastructure, killing and injuring thousands.

Media Prima chairman Datuk Johan Jaaffar received the donation.

Donors can send their contributions to Maybank account number 5642-7651-1188 under the name "Tabung Bencana Taufan Haiyan Media Prima-NSTP".

Resources : New Straits Times