Lee: Conduct study to find out why more cops are retiring early

PETALING JAYA: There should be an impartial study to find out why more police personnel are opting for early retirement, Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation senior vice-chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said.

The root causes for the early retirement need to be identified in order to address the situation, he said.

“This issue must be looked into seriously, especially by the Home Affairs Ministry, as the country needs to have sufficient police personnel to ensure public safety at all times,” said Lee yesterday.

On Saturday, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun revealed that more policemen were now opting for early retirement for reasons such as health and work stress.

As at October, 2,446 personnel opted for early retirement.

Lee said that some police personnel might also have personal reasons such as seeking better paying jobs elsewhere.

“If there are issues related to the workplace or training, action can be taken to address them,” he said.

He also suggested that psychological training be provided in view of their increasingly demanding job.

“The government and the public have high expectations of the police force, so police personnel need to be taught skills to handle the challenges and stress,” he said.

He said the government should also look into improving the welfare of police personnel such as their housing quarters and salaries.