If the police cannot prevent firearms from being stolen right under its nose, how will it be able to safeguard the public?

This is the question posed by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng in response to reports that 21 guns and 645 rounds of ammunition were stolen on Saturday from a police camp in Terengganu.

"The police are supposed to catch thieves but if they can't prevent a theft in their own high-security camp, how can they be effective against criminals and thieves preying on the public?" he asked in a statement today.

Lim said Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi cannot afford to be 'soft-hearted' about this incident and stern action must be taken against those responsible for the lack of security.

"With the current terrorist threat and involvement of Malaysians such as Asia's most wanted terrorist Dr Azahari Husin, such a breach in security does not inspire confidence in the police.

"Imagine the danger to national security if the firearms had fallen into the hands of such terrorists," he added.

While the police had managed to locate and recover the weapons quicky, Lim said there are still some unanswered questions such as how was it possible to remove the weapons from the camp, the motives and why was the cache taken all the way to Malacca and left at a police station?

Review security procedures

According to news reports two police personnel and a technical school student have been arrested in connection with the case.

Terengganu police chief Husin Ismail had dismissed suggestions that the theft could be linked to militant activities.

He said the thieves had intended to sell the weapons which included 19 Smith and Wesson revolvers and two pistols, a Browning and a Steyr.

"No. It's more for monetary gain ... there is no indication, no connection whatsoever with other things," he was quoted as saying by AFP.

Meanwhile, Lim called for a full review of security procedures at all camps storing weapons to ensure that such an incident does not recur.

"Next time the country and the police may not be so lucky," he warned.