GEORGE TOWN, Jan 4 — The Penang City Council (MBPP) will upgrade 528 closed circuit (CCTV) cameras with video analytics to optimise the use of the cameras in the effort to turn Penang into a safe state.

State Housing, Local Government and Urban and Rural Planning Committee chairman, Jagdeep Singh Deo said work to upgrade the CCTV, which would be capable of detecting and identifying criminals, would be done this year at a cost of RM12 million.

"MBPP will boost the function of the video analytics with the co-operation of IBM Malaysia whose main components will be able to detect vehicles, garbage dumping, illegal parking areas and others,” he told reporters after holding a CCTV visit in Jalan Perak, here today.

Also present were Timur Laut District police chief ACP Soffian Santong and MBPP engineering department director A. Rajendran.

He said, as of last year, 935 CCTV which were also equipped with the face identifying system had been installed in several hot locations on the island in the state while 136 units more were installed in the Seberang Perai City Council (MPSP) area.

"We plan to add 30 more CCTV on the Seberang Perai side. All the CCTV installed can be monitored by MBPP and MBSP and are also monitored by the police in the state. We succeeded in helping the police solve the robbery of RM231,000 in Sungai Nibong because there were CCTV there which had recorded the main culprit in the case,” he added.

Meanwhile, Rajendran said, through the video analytics, the videos and pictures recorded by the cameras of the CCTV were clearer and better especially at night, in fact the records could be kept for 45 days.

"The CCTV used now are among the best. But with the video analytics we can immediately detect any wrongdoing, with the information sent directly to the system for the action of the staff. In fact, they can also monitor the movements of the criminals until the police are able to catch them,” he said.

Soffian, on his part, said the police lauded the effort of the Penang state government to install more CCTV because the recordings of the existing cameras had helped the police greatly in reducing crimes in the state.

He said, with the aid of the CCTV, the police had been able to solve at least 10 crime cases in the Timur Laut district last year because they had the face identification system which enabled the police to detect the criminals through their vehicle registration numbers.

"I suggest that more cameras be installed at strategic locations such as bank and jewellery shop areas and also areas of public focuses in the effort to bring back public confidence,” he added. — Bernama