KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has instructed the Home Ministry to finish upgrading police quarters by the end of the year.
In his speech at the 217th Police Day celebration today, Anwar said the Finance Ministry was giving way to the Home Ministry to speed up the tender process.
"Police are fighting digital and commercial crimes, but their offices (and quarters) are from the 1970s.
"So I'm giving way to the Home Ministry to speed up the tender process.
"The upgrading (of police quarters) should be done by the end of the year. If not, the home minister and chief secretary of the government have to answer to me."
Separately, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said police had received a RM98.7 million allocation to improve their working environment and accommodation.
He said it was important to create a conducive environment to boost the morale and motivation of police officers.
On another matter, he said there were plans to set up new contingent police headquarters in Penang, Perak, Kelantan and Pahang.
He said there would also be new district police headquarters in Kapit, Sarawak and in Padang Besar, Perlis.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain expressed his gratitude to the government for the allocation to upgrade the facilities.
Present were Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Shamsul Anuar Nasarah Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat and Attorney-General Datuk Ahmad Terrirudin Mohd Salleh.
Armed Forces chief General Tan Sri Mohammad Ab Rahman, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali and Public Service Department director-general Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz were also in attendance.