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THE Royal Malaysia Police have reported a reduction in crime throughout the recent festive periods, yet expressed concern over a notable rise in fatal road accidents during Op Selamat 25 and 26.
Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail said total crime cases fell to 747 compared with 858 recorded in 2025, attributing the improvement to strategic planning and proactive patrols covering 61,122 residences.
He noted that public cooperation played a significant role, particularly through the Volunteer Smartphone Patrol (VSP) application, which now has more than 1.7 million registered users.
"Records throughout the implementation of Op Selamat show that a total of 16,889 users utilised the balik kampung notification module, compared with 8,036 the previous year, representing an increase of more than double," he said at the Op Selamat 25 and 26 Appreciation Ceremony held at Dewan Pengaman, PULAPOL Kuala Lumpur.
Despite these gains, Mohd Khalid cautioned that road safety remains a pressing challenge, pointing to concerning traffic statistics recorded during the operations.
"There was an increase of nearly one per cent in the total number of accidents, with 9,934 cases compared with 9,859 cases during the same operation previously.
"Fatal cases recorded a surge of nearly 17 per cent, rising to 90 cases compared with 77 previously.
"A total of 144,726 summonses were issued nationwide, representing an increase of 34.8 per cent (37,361 summonses) compared with 107,365 recorded during Op Selamat 24," he said.
He urged motorists to adhere strictly to traffic laws, ensure vehicles are properly maintained, and take adequate rest before driving.
The police implemented a combination of “Pre-Emptive Services” and “Total Enforcement” strategies during Op Selamat 25, conducted in conjunction with Chinese New Year, and Op Selamat 26 for Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
Mohd Khalid said key measures included coordinated deployment between the Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department and the Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department, alongside the use of drones by the Air Operations Force to monitor highway conditions.
He added that initiatives such as Op Lancar and an enhanced omnipresence approach were introduced to improve police visibility in congestion hotspots and accident-prone areas.
At the ceremony, awards were also presented to top-performing contingents and districts for both operations. For Op Selamat 25, Selangor, Sabah and Perlis emerged as the best contingents across Categories A, B and C respectively, while Miri, Kuala Krai and Jerantut were recognised as the best districts.
For Op Selamat 26, Johor, Kedah and Melaka secured top honours in their respective contingent categories, with Johor Bahru Selatan, Seberang Perai Selatan and Bagan Datuk named best districts. - April 11, 2026