KUALA LUMPUR: There is only a single police station with a staff of 28 people that serves a population of more than 70,000 in Pekan Nanas, Johor, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Jeck Seng.
The Tanjung Piai MP said this places a high workload on the police, making it a challenge to provide quick and effective service.
"The police station still provides services with a strength of only 28 employees, consisting of an officer, a sergeant major, a sergeant, three corporals, 19 constables, two support staff members and one public official," he said.
He said that economic growth in the area had caused an influx of people settling in Pekan Nanas, significantly increasing the population.
"With so many people, the demands on the police will also increase," he said when debating Budget 2025 in Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Nov 19).
Wee also said that the police station which serves Pekan Nanas and the surrounding areas of Mukim Jeram Batu and Pengkalan Raja; parts of Mukim Pontian; and Mukim Rimba Terjun, is in a rundown state.
"The station was built in the late 1980s and has broken roofs, cracked walls and burst water pipes.
"Apart from the police station, existing residential quarters for officers are very limited and are badly damaged," he said.
He added that there is a pressing need to upgrade the Pekan Nanas police station and increase the number of policemen.
"I have been raising this since 2018 but action has yet to be taken," he said.
He said that security is not only for residents but also cultivates a safe environment for industrial and business premises.
"It is also part of the factor to attract investors to the Pekan Nanas area," he said.