PETALING JAYA: Just who is eligible for police outrider service under the law? This poser comes following a viral video of two traffic policemen escorting a private vehicle along Jalan Bukit Gambir in Penang.
According to the law, only the king and members of the royalty, prime minister and deputy prime minister are eligible for such services. Cabinet ministers, except for the home and defence ministers, are not eligible for outriders.
Commenting on the Penang incident, where two police outriders were alleged to have escorted a driver believed to be the son of Baling MP Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, former transport minister Anthony Loke called it an abuse of power. He said outrider services were exclusively meant for selected VIPs for security reasons.
“Of course, it’s inappropriate to misuse the outriding service. Ministers are not entitled to escorts.
“Even when I was the transport minister, I was never entitled to escort services. Only the home minister and defence minister will be escorted for security purposes. So there’s no escort privilege for an MP or his family,” he told theSun.
He said the authorities should take strict action against the person who misused the privilege as well as the two traffic policemen who cooperated in the misconduct.
“This is a misuse of power and the police officers who entertained that should be penalised. The person who misused the power should be fined under the relevant regulations,” he said.
Sources at the police Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department said there are standard operating procedures that list who is entitled to outriders and when others may be provided with the services.
The sources said while certain VIPs are entitled to it as stipulated by the law, the need for outrider services for others has to be justified with valid reasons.
“Apart from members of royalty, the prime minister, his deputy, home minister, defence minister and senior ministers who are entitled to it, two factors, namely emergencies and security threats may justify the services of outriders.
“If a person’s safety is under threat or if an ambulance is carrying a sick person who is in a life-or-death situation, the vehicles concerned may be escorted by outriders to ensure safe and smooth passage due to the urgency,” said the sources.
The sources agreed that it was a breach of the SOP in the case of the MP’s son being escorted by outriders unless the individual had proven he faced dangers to his safety and received approval from the relevant police officials.
Dignitaries who arrive from overseas may also be entitled to outriders and instructions for such services would come from the Prime Minister’s Department.
Selangor Bar chairman Kokila Vaani Vadiveloo said it was an offence to misuse the services.
“There are two types of police escorts available. Firstly, for security and the other is for road clearance assistance.
“To acquire such a service, a formal request must be made to any police contingent in the country and processing the request can take between a few weeks and a month.
“But if there is any misuse, as per the law, those who violate it can be investigated under Section 170 of the Penal Code, which carries imprisonment of two years or a fine,” she told theSun.
In response to the footage, in which one of the policemen stopped traffic to allow the escorted vehicle to run a red light, she stated that police may only stop traffic to allow emergency vehicles to pass.
“Under Traffic Rule No. 9 LN 166/959 of the Road Transport Act 1987, emergency vehicles on duty have the right of way over all other traffic.
“Therefore, ambulances and those from the Fire and Rescue Department are deemed as emergency vehicles whereas escorted vehicles are not,” she said.
