‘Camera must follow the schedule’: Hannah Yeoh says as DBKL makes body cams compulsory for field operations

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 11 — Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) will equip its enforcement unit with 200 additional body-worn cameras, bringing its total number of devices to 305.

Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh and Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Fadlun Mak Ujud announced the expansion at DBKL’s 57th Enforcement Day parade in Bandar Tun Razak today.

“I have directed the enforcement unit to ensure that for every operation, the schedule must follow the camera, not the camera following the schedule. 

“This means whenever they go out to enforce the law, wearing them is mandatory,” Yeoh said.

She said the initiative was intended to protect enforcement officers from baseless allegations while ensuring they maintained integrity and followed the law during field operations.

She said the system would initially operate on a pilot basis, modelled after the police force’s experience, with footage retained for six months under the management of DBKL’s integrity unit.

She added that the system would be reviewed and improved over time, while members of the public could lodge complaints or request internal reviews of footage.

Fadlun said the additional cameras were part of DBKL’s efforts to modernise enforcement operations, with footage providing a record of officers’ actions in the event of complaints or disputes.

DBKL first tested body-worn cameras through a five-device pilot in 2020 before making their use mandatory in 2024, and is now updating its guidelines on device usage, evidence handling and public complaints.

Separately, Yeoh welcomed DBKL’s introduction of more weather-appropriate T-shirts for its Patrol Unit, saying officers’ comfort and safety should remain priorities during field duties.