Police: New safety measures eyed to prevent ECRL project site thefts
Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said this was among several suggestions put forward during multiple task force meetings between the police and MRL representatives.
"The joint task force, established to strengthen cooperation in combating theft at project sites, has convened several times, with the next meeting scheduled for July 4. We have discussed proactive safety measures, including the installation of CCTV cameras at identified hotspots.
"Some of the locations where thefts have occurred are in remote areas, so appropriate steps must be taken to prevent future incidents. Thefts were previously reported at project sites in Kuantan and Maran," he told reporters at the district police headquarters here today.
Yahaya said police had proposed additional preventive measures, including hiring auxiliary police to ensure safety at the project sites.
"Police are in continuous communication with the ECRL team, and we have urged their cooperation in providing immediate information in the event of any theft along the rail alignment.
"Members of the public with information about individuals attempting to sell cables or construction materials are encouraged to report such activities to the police immediately," he said.
Although no arrests have been made so far, Yahaya gave his assurances that police are investigating all possibilities, including the potential involvement of insiders.
On June 25, Kuantan police chief Assistant Commissioner Wan Mohd Zahari Wan Busu revealed that eight cases of cable theft, resulting in estimated losses of RM217,000, were reported between Jan 1 and June 22 this year in Cherating, Gebeng, and Damansara, near here.
The Pahang police task force was set up following concerns raised by MRL regarding recurring cable theft incidents along the ECRL route, which spans Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, and Selangor.
The 665km mega rail project, which passes through Bentong, Temerloh, Maran, and Kuantan in Pahang, is scheduled to begin operations in January 2027.
Earlier today, Yahaya witnessed the handing over of duties of the Kuantan police chief and Pahang Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief.
Kuantan deputy police chief Superintendent Mohd Adli Mat Daud is now acting district police chief with Wan Zahari appointed as the Perak Internal Security and Public Order Department chief starting tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Superintendent Wan Aedil Wan Abdullah has been named the new Pahang CCID head.
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