KUALA LUMPUR: The Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) has tapped on the potential of the social networking service, Facebook, in its efforts to combat crime.

The Facebook profile page www.facebook.com/PolisDirajaMalaysia, along with their new media centre was unveiled at the Bukit Aman police headquarters in October.

PDRM is using this platform to reach out to the younger Internet savvy generation, posting updates on high profile cases (i.e: the Datuk Sosilawati murder case), tips for crime prevention, and updates on key community policing initiatives.

The official Facebook account called “Polis Diraja Malaysia” will be used as an alternative platform for the police to disseminate information to members of the public.

Net-ting the criminals: Hishammuddin having a cheerful moment while launching PDRM’s Facebook profile at the new media centre at Bukit Aman police headquarters. Looking on are IGP Tan Sri Omar Ismail (far right) and Deputy IGP Datuk Hussin Ismail (second from left). Inset: Facebook screenshot.

Currently, the page is followed by more than 20,000 people, who will receive regular updates.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein who launched the media centre said as law enforcers, communication between the police, media and public must always be cordial and prompt.

The RM200,000 media centre is equipped with high-speed broadband connections for quick access to the Internet to respond to queries.

Federal police Public Relations Department deputy head DSP Lai Lee Ching leads the media centre with a team of 20 officers.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Omar Ismail is hopeful that the launch of the media centre would be a fresh start between the media and the police.

The centre was a move by the police to show its sincerity in being transparent and committed to the “People First, Performance Now” maxim of 1Malaysia.

In September, Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar had also set up his own Facebook page to interact with netizens in his effort to fight crime.

He said the public could channel information directly to his Facebook page on the misconduct of police personnel in the state if they are afraid to make a police report.

He said people might fear being threatened or intimidated if errant police personnel came to know about the reports lodged against them, but this would not happen if the complaints were sent to him directly.

“The public should not be afraid to inform the authorities on police misconduct . . . if they are still scared, then they should communicate directly with me,” he said.

His Facebook page address is at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1297884570.

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