PUTRAJAYA: Priority must be given on the 20 per cent of police quarters nationwide which are uninhabitable and are in need of minor repairs.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said these living quarters have unusable floors, and are beset with water supply issues and lack other basic things.
He said 80 per cent of 64,000 living quarters for policemen in Malaysia are fit to live in, while another 15 per cent are completely unliveable. The remaining five per cent of police living quarters only need minor repair works, he said.
He said the welfare of our men and women in blue was important, and the aspects of police quarters is part of this.
"As the largest enforcement agency in our country (the police), one aspect that has long been neglected is the welfare aspect and as such, I request that more attention be given to it.
"There are 64,000 units of (police quarters ) nationwide . Eighty per cent are habitable, while 15 per cent are uninhabitable. Then, there's the remaining percentage that with some minor improvements, could be made liveable," he said during the Home Ministry's monthly assembly.
Saifuddin said as such, the uninhabitable units and those that need minor repairs should be made priorities.
"These units have unusable floors, water supply, and dilapidated cabinets and wiring, our focus will be to prioritise this 15 per cent.
"And if improvements can also be made to units that need minor repairs to make them immediately livable, that will also be our priority."
Saifuddin called for the need for targeted planning, acknowledging that the available budget may be insufficient to address all the issues at once.
He said the government must prioritise repairs on police quarters, especially in cities such as Kuching, which have high home rental rates.
"There will never be enough money, but with the available allocation, prioritising is crucial, especially in places like Kuching, where rental costs are higher.
"We have senior police officers, junior police officers, and other personnel. If they have to pay rent, that becomes a burden," he said.