KUALA LUMPUR, March 28 — Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador has instructed district police chiefs nationwide to look into the welfare of their staff and subordinates so that any problems facing them can be addressed promptly.

He said aid or counselling should be given to those with problems to avoid any untoward incidents.

Taking a cue from an incident where a police corporal was believed to have shot dead his seven-year-old son before shooting himself at Jalan Widuri 1, Taman Sentosa Jaya, Seremban, last Wednesday, Abdul Hamid said he was disappointed that no one was aware of the psychological condition of the policeman.

"It was not the first case. Prior to that, there was a case in Perak, where a mother locked herself with her children and set fire to the room at a police quarters.

"There was also a case which happened during the early implementation of the Movement Control Order when one of my policemen shot himself at a roadblock because he was said to have heard a voice telling him to do so,” he told Bernama recently. 

He said if a policeman had psychological problem and the matter was not addressed, it would be dangerous because police personnel on duty were usually provided with firearms.

"Many similar cases also happened abroad and I will look into the matter so that these incidents can be avoided through early intervention,” he added.

On the incident in Seremban, Abdul Hamid said the policeman who was believed to have shot himself in the head was a detective.

"It is appropriate for the policeman to be provided with a firearm when he is on field duty because he is a detective. How the incident happened, it is still under investigation.

"From information provided by the Negeri Sembilan police chief (Datuk Mohamad Mat Yusop) the motive for the policeman in committing suicide was because of disappointment and based on what was told by witnesses, the policeman had family problems,” he added. — Bernama