Don’t charge calls/SMSes, telcos urged
Telecommunication companies should waive the fee for calls or SMSes sent to Rakan Cop hotlines, said Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Fu Ah Kiow.
Fu said the Rakan Cop hotline was meant to be a public service and, as such, it should be free of charge.
“It would also be seen as the telcos’ contribution to fighting crime,” he said, adding that he would meet the telcos soon
to discuss the proposal because the Rakan Cop programme had been getting good response.
Under the Rakan Cop programme set up in 2004, the public are the “eyes and ears” of the police, alerting the force on crime.
Fu, who was speaking to newsmen at the Parliament lobby yesterday, added that there should only be one number to call for all emergency cases.
“On the other hand, the line might get too congested, which could slow down the system and make it inefficient,” he conceded.
Civil Defence Department public relations officer Lt Kol Sharudin Md Zain said that between January and June this year, there were at least 372,096 crank calls out of the 395,459 calls made to the 991 number.
Meanwhile, mobile phone users can continue to call 112 to report emergencies.
In its latest public consultation with stakeholders, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission said mobile phone users could call 112 even if their SIM card has been suspended.
However, 112 emergency calls cannot be made if the mobile phone has no SIM card, the SIM card has expired or the service has been terminated.
Fu said the Rakan Cop hotline was meant to be a public service and, as such, it should be free of charge.
“It would also be seen as the telcos’ contribution to fighting crime,” he said, adding that he would meet the telcos soon
to discuss the proposal because the Rakan Cop programme had been getting good response.
Under the Rakan Cop programme set up in 2004, the public are the “eyes and ears” of the police, alerting the force on crime.
Fu, who was speaking to newsmen at the Parliament lobby yesterday, added that there should only be one number to call for all emergency cases.
“On the other hand, the line might get too congested, which could slow down the system and make it inefficient,” he conceded.
Civil Defence Department public relations officer Lt Kol Sharudin Md Zain said that between January and June this year, there were at least 372,096 crank calls out of the 395,459 calls made to the 991 number.
Meanwhile, mobile phone users can continue to call 112 to report emergencies.
In its latest public consultation with stakeholders, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission said mobile phone users could call 112 even if their SIM card has been suspended.
However, 112 emergency calls cannot be made if the mobile phone has no SIM card, the SIM card has expired or the service has been terminated.
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