Penang public CCTV upgrade to include video analytics

The Penang City Council (MBPP) will upgrade 528 closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs) with video analytics.

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

‘’MBPP will boost the function of the video analytics with the cooperation 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, George Town today.

Also present were Timur Laut district police chief ACP Soffian Santong and MBPP Engineering Department director A Rajendran.

Jagdeep said, as of last year, 935 CCTVs were equipped with face identifying features and had been installed in several locations on the island, while 136 units were installed in the Seberang Perai City Council (MPSP) area.

‘’We plan to add 30 more CCTVs on the Seberang Perai side. All the CCTVs installed can be monitored by MBPP and MBSP and are also monitored by the police in the state," said Jagdeep.

"We succeeded in helping the police to solve a robbery in Sungai Nibong because CCTVs recorded the incident,’’ he added.

Rajendran, meanwhile, said through video analytics, the videos and pictures recorded by the CCTVs would be clearer and the records could be kept for 45 days.

‘’The CCTVs 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. They can also monitor movements of suspected criminals until the police arrive,’’ he said.

Soffian, on his part, said the police lauded the effort of the Penang government to install more CCTVs 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 CCTVs the police had been able to solve at least 10 crime cases in the Timur Laut district last year. This was 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 financial bank and jewellery shop areas, and also areas of public focus in the effort to bring back public confidence,’’ he added. — Bernama