Klang: As a security measure, the Meru police station is now using a bell system to control public entry after midnight, following a brawl at the station on March 2. North Klang district police chief ACP S. Vijaya Rao said this measure was taken to strengthen security aspects at the station, apart from ensuring the safety of police personnel and the public.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, this measure is important because there are still many police stations across the country operating in shoplots like the Meru police station and requiring more effective security control. Among the measures taken include closing the main door after midnight and only allowing the public to enter after pressing the bell provided outside the premises, as explained by Vijaya at a press conference in conjunction with the 219th Police Day celebrations at the Soo Jin Chinese National Type School (SJKC) Hall in Kapar.
Vijaya explained that the station's operations will continue as usual but the bell facility is provided to assist the public who wish to conduct business even when the main door is closed at certain times. Other safety measures include the installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras inside and outside the station, as well as the assignment of patrol officers in the surrounding areas to ensure continuous monitoring.
Every night, at least two police personnel will be on duty at the station, with one receiving reports and the other on standby for patrol or external monitoring. This approach has been practiced for a long time in several other stations in North Klang, including Bandar Baru Klang, Bukit Raja, Meru and Bandar Sultan Sulaiman.
Elaborating further, Vijaya said the brawl incident at the Meru police station was unexpected and happened suddenly, believed to have been due to a misunderstanding between two groups and not intended to attack police officers. He urged the public to respect the police station as a security institution and to resolve matters outside by channeling them through a report for investigation.
In the incident, police arrested eight individuals from two different groups. As a result of the investigation, three individuals were charged, while the others are witnesses. The case involves several offences, including trespassing into the station, injuring a witness under Section 324 of the Penal Code and Section 90 of the Police Act 1967, as well as the offence of carrying a weapon. The case is currently in the trial process at the Klang Magistrate's Court.