COMPANIES planning to ‘adopt’ bus stops in Seberang Prai are en-couraged to install closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras to help promote a safer neighbourhood.
Seberang Prai Municipal councillor Soon Lip Chee said the cameras could also be linked to the council CCTV cameras that were currently located in crime hot spot areas on the mainland.
“The council’s CCTV cameras are closely monitored by the police, who have direct access to view them in real time.
“So, the installation of CCTV cameras at bus stops can further widen our area of coverage in Seberang Prai,” he said after inspecting a bus stop installed with two CCTV cameras in Jalan Todak, Seberang Jaya, on Tuesday.
Soon praised A tu Z Wedding House Sdn Bhd for being the first company to voluntarily install CCTV cameras at the bus stop in Jalan Todak, which it had adopted from the council for three years at RM100 a month.
Steven Cheog, who is chief executive officer of A tu Z’s parent company, Nihoma Group, said the decision to install the cameras at the bus stop in front of Ben-Q factory, was to provide bus commuters a sense of security.
“Many of my employees who use this bus stop to travel to work have complained of petty crime in the neighbourhood.
“So, by installing the cameras here, we can not only prevent untoward incidents but also keep an eye on vandals who deface our advertisement at the bus stop,” he said.
He added that he had repainted a section of the bus stop thrice after vandals drew graffiti on it.
Cheong said he spent about RM3,000 on the CCTV cameras and to paint the bus stop with his company advertisement displayed on it, adding that he also spent about RM600 a month on electricity and maintenance of the bus stop.
Soon said from the total of 1,014 public bus stops in Seberang Prai, only 31 bus stops had so far been adopted since the council launched its pilot bus stop adoption programme in 2011.
He said companies that signed up for the programme were allowed to place their advertisements on the adopted bus stops for a certain period, but they would have to carry out necessary maintenance of the bus stops within the duration.
Those keen on sponsoring bus stops in Seberang Prai can contact the council’s Valuation and Property Management Department deputy director Ahmad Syahrir Jaafar at 04-5497493 or 012-4127789.