BUKIT Aman is reviewing transport safety protocols for personnel following a deadly head-on collision involving a Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) truck and a tipper lorry in Perak that left nine policemen dead.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said top-level discussions would be held between senior Bukit Aman leadership and the Internal Security and Public Order Department to address transport safety issues not only for the FRU, but also for other units such as the General Operations Force (GOF).
“This issue is not isolated to the FRU, as other police elements under the Internal Security and Public Order Department also use similar trucks to transport personnel, including the General Operations Forces (GOF),” New Straits Times reported him saying today.
One measure under review is the installation of improved passenger restraint systems in trucks. However, Razarudin noted that compatibility may be an issue due to the existing configuration of long benches within the vehicles.
He added that an alternative being considered is the use of buses for personnel transport between operational sites and camps.
“There are budget concerns that we have also identified with this approach, as we will need more than one bus to ferry personnel between operations,” he explained.
Another proposal includes deploying highway patrol vehicles to escort convoys, with duties handed over between state jurisdictions to ensure continuous protection along transport routes.
“What this means is that highway patrol cars would escort these motorcades and they would hand over escort duties to other patrol cars when they cross state lines,” Razarudin said.
He stressed that no decision would be made without thorough consultation. “The safety of our personnel is paramount, and we will implement suitable measures to ensure this. We will carefully analyse the movements of our personnel and determine the best outcome,” he said.
Razarudin also confirmed that Perak police are conducting a full investigation into the incident to determine its cause.
The crash occurred on Jalan Chikus–Sungai Lampam when the FRU vehicle collided with a lorry carrying stones. Nine FRU personnel were killed in the impact, while eight others remain hospitalised – one in Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh and the rest at Teluk Intan Hospital.
The lorry driver, who has six previous criminal records including for theft, drugs and rape, has been remanded for four days under Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Hilir Perak district police chief Assistant Commissioner Dr Bakri Zainal Abidin submitted the remand request in person.
The tragedy has sparked nationwide concern and intensified calls for a comprehensive overhaul of how police units are transported during operations. - May 14, 2025
