PETALING JAYA: Under a pilot project in Serdang and Shah Alam, policemen and their vehicles will have an extra pair of eyes and ears, all electronic.

The patrol vehicles and patrolling officers have been equipped with cameras.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the aim of the project was to make people feel safer.

“It will be conducted for a month and we will see how effective it is.

“With the cameras, we can record offences committed by perpetrators and the infringements of our men on the ground,” he told The Star yesterday, adding that the move aimed to reduce crime and raise the accountability of police officers.

He said the trial run was part of the long-term goal for modern policing.

The only challenge, said Khalid, was finding the money to implement it nationwide.

He was commenting on the Government’s aim to cut crime by 5% a year.

The 11th Malaysia Plan calls for more police presence and volunteers. The Government wants to raise the perception of safety from 39% last year to 60% in 2020.

Khalid said there was another pilot project that aimed to reduce the number of police officers in a patrol car from two to one in Petaling Jaya.

“The patrol vehicle is manned by a policeman but only during the day. We want to create a bigger presence by having more vehicles on the road,” he added.

The 11MP also plans to get police to crime scenes within eight minutes, one-third faster than the current time.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the 11MP was timely as it put the rakyat’s safety first.

“I am confident that the security forces can meet the goals set in the plan.

“The funds accorded in the plan will also ensure the country’s safety is always preserved,” he said.