What happened to police body cam promise, asks Kepong MP

Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng has raised concerns over the delay in fully equipping the police with body cameras, questioning the government's promise made in October 2023 to achieve this by early 2025. During the 2027 budget debate in the Dewan Rakyat, Lim pointed out that home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail had stated in a parliamentary reply that police would be fully equipped with body cameras by the first quarter of 2025. As of now, in the fourth quarter of 2026, the delay in this promise has become apparent.

Lim alleged that there have been complaints about police officers conducting unwarranted searches of mobile phones and extorting money, particularly from foreigners who do not carry their passports. He called on the police to provide information on the number of complaints received regarding such misconduct, as well as the count of officers investigated, prosecuted, or dismissed.

Lim also sought clarity on whether there are officers who have refused to wear body cameras or deliberately turned them off while on duty. If such instances exist, he suggested that disciplinary action should be taken against them.

The MP urged the government to establish a firm timeline for the complete rollout of body cameras, along with clear procedures for storing recordings, controlling access to footage, and punishing officers who tamper with evidence. He emphasized that honest police officers should not have any qualms about wearing body cameras. Lim appealed to the public to respect the police, but stressed that the police must demonstrate that they deserve that respect.

In 2023, over 7,000 body cameras were deployed across 157 police district headquarters and 640 police stations.