JOHOR BARU: Pasir Gudang member of parliament Hassan Abdul Karim has urged Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail to build more quarters for police personnel and their families in the city.
He said there were only around 200 quarters available for the 800 personnel in the nine police stations under the Bandar Seri Alam Police headquarters.
The district police headquarters covers a large area, including the Tebrau Parliamentary constituency and also stretches to Ulu Tiram and Johor Baru to the northeast and southwest of the industrial area, which was recently granted city status.
"There are not enough units and many police personnel are forced to rent homes, but as Pasir Gudang has been raised to city status the cheapest rent available here is RM800.
"Their housing allowance is also only around RM200 to RM300 depending on their grade. So the additional RM500 has to come put from their own pockets. And this does not include utilities, phone and so on, so this becomes a problem.
"This is an urgent call because most of their pay goes to rent," he said at a meet and greet session at the Bandar Seri Alam Police headquarters today.
Hassan said if new quarters could not be built, police housing allowances should be raised.
