The Police Motorcycle Patrol Unit will expand patrols from residential areas, to include identified recreational and business areas, tourist spots and schools, said Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

He said RM20 million was allocated under Budget 2013, to provide 1,000 motorcycles for the unit while focus would also be given to train the unit’s police personnel.

He said the ministry needed to chart its strategy so that the rakyat could reap the maximum positive impacts of the budget.

Hishammuddin was speaking to reporters after a briefing on the implementation of the budget in Putrajaya today.

traffic police bike outrider honda 220806 He said that with the introduction of the unit, the ministry was committed to ensure that safety and security at residential areas could be intensified.

On the motorcycles, the minister said some of the machines would first be distributed to four states which were focused under the National Key Results Area (NKRA) on reducing crime.

They were Johor, Selangor, Penang and Kuala Lumpur. Following this, the motorcycles would be distributed to other states.

On the briefing, Hishammuddin said it discussed, among others, a need to increase intake for police personnel, police volunteer reserve and insurance scheme for the force.

- Bernama