MCPF Penang State Liaison Committee and District Liaison Committees collaborated with the Royal Malaysia Police, Penang Contingent and Politeknik Seberang Perai to host a highly successful Townhall Engagement Program on 15^th March 2018. It was indeed an honor to have had YAB Dato’ Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid bin Hamidi – Deputy Prime Minister cum MCPF Chairman to be present to deliver his Official Address and launching of the Program amidst his extremely tight schedule. In his address, he congratulated the Organizers for their continuing efforts on Crime Awareness and Prevention.

Present at this Townhall Engagement Program were various members of JKKK, School Heads and Teachers, PIBG, MCPF Members, Politeknik Seberang Perai Faculty and Students, PDRM, Governmental Agencies and NGOs. Helping to keep the audience on edge and attentive was the MC for the Day – MCPF SLC Member cum Timur Laut DLC Chairman JM Tan.

Besides being the Moderator for the Townhall Engagement Program itself, Associate Professor Dr. P. Sundramoorthy, Head of Crime and Policing Investigation, USM took on ‘double duties’ for the day when he stood in and delivered the Welcoming Remarks on behalf of YBhg. Dato’ Seri Syed Jaafar Syed Ali who had been taken ill. Making up the Panel of Speakers were YDH SAC Dato’ Mohamad Anil Shah, Head of Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department, PDRM Penang; YBhg, Datuk Kamarudin bin Md Ali, MCPF (Federal) EXCO; and MCPF Penang Deputy Chairman YBhg. Dato’ K. Pulayantran. Dato’ Mohamad Anil Shah delivered an engaging talk on the “Overview of Crime” on behalf of YDH CP Dato’ A. Thaiveegan.

Just prior to the Townhall Engagement segment, YDH Supt. Tan Cheng San (Pegawai Turus Operation Darat, JPJKK, IPK P. Pinang) promoted the usage of Voluntary Smartphone Patrol application to the audience present. This was yet another platform for public engagement where MCPF Penang has actively collaborated with Royal Malaysia Police, Penang Contingent on the promotion of VSP. We envisage that with continued cooperation, Penang state would one day be the one with the highest number of VSP Registrants.

MCPF Penang SLC / DLCs has demonstrated excellent initiative to hold this 3^rd Townhall Engagement Event since last year. Kudos to the Organizing Chairman – MCPF Penang Secretary cum SPT DLC Chairman EL Ching and his team for the great success of this event which had 6 members of the audience posing apt questions covering from Drugs being used even by juveniles, to challenges in making official Police Reports, concerns with increasing Bullying and Gangsterism in Schools and the lack of parental support and guidance. Even the challenge of lack of proper funding for Police Stations was touched upon. It was truly an engagement of sorts when even YDH Supt. Maidu bin Abu Bakar, Head of Narcotics Crime Investigation Department as well as Yang Berusaha Tuan Bakri Ahmad (MCPF Penang ex-Officio) from State Education Department helped to answer specific questions from the audience.