Saturday, August 14, 2010

Sarawak Tourism Federation wants more CCTV in tourism hotspots

KUCHING: Sarawak Tourism Federation chairman Wee Hong Seng said he would ask for federal funds to install closed-circuit television (CCTV) in tourism hotspots.

Wee said the city needed more CCTVs and police presence to combat the rapid rise in number of crimes, especially snatch thefts, against foreign tourists and travellers.

“I will request for federal funds to install CCTVs here when Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen comes here next month,” he said when contacted yesterday.

According to Wee, STF was concerned about maintaining Kuching’s status as a safe city for tourists and travellers.

He said the federation is trying all means, including holding dialogues with the police, of finding ways to bring down the crime rate and ensure the safety of tourists.

Last week, he led the STF in a dialogue session with the police and they asked for the continuation of Ops Payung.

This operation, involving the setting up of temporary police booths at hotspots, was effective in bringing down the crime rate when enforced recently.

“The crime rate has dropped 50 per cent after ‘Ops Payung’ was carried out here,” he claimed.

He said STF had also asked the police to mobilise more patrols especially in ‘grey areas’ of the city.

"From time to time, we hold dialogue session with the police. We are targeting zero crime here. Every city has crimes. Compare to some others, our place is still under control and I consider our place safe,” said Wee.

Besides working with the police, the tourism federation had told budget lodging houses and operators in grey areas to warn tourists about snatch thieves.

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