Dr Sim (left) and SMA personnel inspect a Batu Kawa CCTV installation site.

KUCHING (March 14): Several areas under Batu Kawah constituency will be under 24-hour surveillance once the installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras is completed within the next few months, said Deputy Premier Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian.

The Batu Kawah assemblyman said installation has commenced in 18 strategic locations in the constituency.

The locations are Kuching City Mall commercial centre A/B, Taman Desa Wira A/B, Emart Batu Kawa Commercial Centre A/B, nearby areas of Emart Commercial Centre, Batu Kawah New Township A-E, Batu Kawah New Township Market, BK Square, Batu Kawa Old Bazaar, Batu Kawa Waterfront Park, Batu Kawa Commercial Centre 38 Shoplots, and Taman Sri Moyan.

“The installation of the CCTVs is meant to strengthen and improve the security and safety of the public,” said Dr Sim, who recently inspected the installation sites.

He was also briefed by the Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) on the project report and was informed that it is currently in the process of applying to Sarawak Energy Berhad for power supply.

In view of this, the Public Health, Housing and Local Government Minister said he would be seeking assistance from Utility and Telecommunication Minister Datuk Julaihi Narawi on this matter.

According to the report, some installation sites need to be relocated as they are situated either too near to the roadside, involved underground cables at the location, or the site involved private lots.

Dr Sim was also informed that for the 30 CCTVs under the jurisdiction of Padawan Municipal Council (MPP), pillar installation works for 11 sites have already been completed, while another 10 sites have completed foundation works.

There were also six sites that needed to be relocated, while civil and structural engineering works for the remaining three sites would start next week.

Dr Sim said under the Kuching Smart City Initiative, his ministry is collaborating with SMA to install 800 CCTVs in more than 200 strategic locations under the jurisdiction of Kuching South City Council (MBKS), Kuching North City Commission (DBKU), MPP, and Kota Samarahan Municipal Council (MPKS).

“A total of 210 CCTVs will be installed in Kuching and Samarahan divisions and, so far, 93 locations have completed the installation works, pending electricity connection to start operation.

“All of these CCTVs will be installed at the erected pillars except for one, which will be a wall-mounted type,” he said, adding that each camera point has four CCTVs that can rotate 360 degrees.

He said that MBKS and DBKU areas will have 80 CCTVs, MPP gets 30 CCTVS, and there will be 20 CCTVs under MPKS.

“Besides the 93 camera spots, which have completed the pillar works, another 21 camera spots have completed the foundation installation works,” he said.

Dr Sim added all CCTVs will operate round the clock, and the data will be fed to the SMA Integrated Operations Centre so that local councils, police, and other government agencies can take appropriate action according to the situation, such as executing rescue operations in the event of floods.