THERE has been a move towards the use of body-worn cameras (BWCs) among police officers in departments and units that directly interact with the public.
This followed the successful implementation of a pilot project by traffic police and patrol teams.
Wearing BWCs has proven to enhance transparency among law enforcement officers during their duties and could protect their integrity.
The body-worn camera can be used as a vital piece of evidence when there are allegations raised by anyone in civil or criminal cases. We can refer to Section 3 of the Evidence Act 1950 [Act 56]. It clearly provides the definition of evidence.
The Act recognises the submission of digital or electronic evidence. Admissibility of digital or electronic evidence is governed by Section 90A, 90B and 90C of the Act, and it is commonly known as a document produced by a computer.
At the same time, using BWCs could also increase public confidence and trust in our enforcement officers who are on duty.
Most impressive is the revelation by the Customs Department Director-General, Datuk Anis Rizana Mohd Zainudin, that the introduction of BWCs among its personnel has led to a nearly 40 per cent decrease in integrity-related complaints.
Due to its benefits, we should aim for the use of BWCs to be extended to all enforcement officers. In today's world, the use of video evidence has become a matter of urgency, especially when there is an issue or allegation involving misconduct or crimes.
The government can consider allocating money to turn this proposal into a reality in the long term when tabling the 2025 Budget.
DR MUZAFFAR SYAH MALLOW
Associate Professor,
Faculty of Syariah and Law,
Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times