By Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, Chairman Alliance For A Safe Community
KOTA KINABALU: It is timely and important for the authorities to consider ways to beef up airport security, especially in view of the recent shooting incident at KLIA Terminal 1.
It is always a challenge to ensure public safety in places where large numbers of people congregate regularly.
But while additional safeguards are being contemplated, we must not forget one other important aspect—that of gun control.
This is the source of the security problem.
Although gun smuggling is relatively low in Malaysia compared to other countries—thanks to our strict laws and enforcement—even a small number of cases can cause sizeable damage to lives and livelihoods.
We should increase our surveillance and patrols along our porous borders by deploying additional personnel using advanced detection technology.
We must also collaborate closely with our neighbouring countries to share intelligence and coordinate efforts.
Additionally, there must be strict oversight to help prevent legally owned firearms from falling into the wrong hands.
There is no denying that there could be cases of small numbers of enforcement officers who have fallen prey to corruption and thus closed an eye and opened their palms to receive inducements. In such cases, the key is stricter enforcement and swifter punishment.
But surely, gun control alone is not enough. Improving airport security is a multifaceted challenge that requires a combination of other technological procedures.
We should invest in state-of-the-art surveillance technology, including facial recognition and advanced analytics, to identify suspicious behaviour in real time.
Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and computer vision have made significant strides in recent years, making it possible to identify potential threats in very large groups of people.
These can help with crowd management and other security issues in airports, stadiums, and other public places where large numbers of people congregate.
We should also educate the public on safety in public places by launching targeted public awareness campaigns, organising community workshops on preparedness, and taking other safety measures like quick exit routes, staying alert, and recognising and reporting suspicious behaviour.
