MIRI: Police here intensified crime prevention and traffic enforcement operations in conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebrations, amid concerns over increased road use, nightlife activity, and the heightened risk of offences during the festive period.
A total of 36 officers, including five senior officers, were deployed across the district under integrated operations led by Miri Police Headquarters (IPD) on Monday.
The operations form part of a wider strategy to deter crime through sustained police visibility and targeted enforcement in public and residential areas.
The operations followed a briefing at IPD Miri by the district police chief, ACP Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah, who outlined assignments covering roadblocks, snap checks, mobile and motorcycle patrols, as well as inspections on entertainment outlets.
Roadblocks were set up from 10 pm at several locations within the police district.
Officers detected multiple traffic offences, reflecting what police described as recurring non-compliance among a section of road users during peak periods.
Offences included driving without a valid licence, unauthorised vehicle modifications, missing side mirrors, modified exhaust systems, decorative number plates, and expired road tax.
A total of 44 traffic summonses were issued under Pol. 257 during the operations.
Police patrols were also conducted in housing estates, villages and along main roads as part of an “omnipresence” approach aimed at preventing criminal activity through visible policing.
The strategy, police said, was intended both to deter potential offenders and to reassure the public that security measures were in place during the festive season.
Inspections at entertainment outlets formed another key focus of the operation.
Seventeen individuals were subjected to urine screening, with four testing positive for drugs.
Those involved were detained for further investigation.
In a parallel effort to strengthen community-based prevention, police officers carried out joint patrols with volunteers from the ‘Skim Rondaan Sukarela’ under the ‘Rukun Tetangga’ programme in Kampung Tudan.
The collaboration was intended to reinforce neighbourhood vigilance, and demonstrate police support for community-led security initiatives.
Police said similar integrated operations would be carried out from time to time, particularly during festive periods, as part of ongoing efforts to curb crime, enhance road safety, and maintain public order in Miri.
