KUALA LUMPUR – More than 1,000 KK Mart outlets nationwide could soon become additional safe havens for members of the public under a proposed partnership between the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and the private sector to strengthen security in the capital.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Fadil Marsus said KK Mart outlets in the capital had been identified as potential safety points where members of the public could seek temporary shelter if they faced threats, harassment or other emergencies while waiting for police assistance.
He said the initiative was part of efforts to expand the safety point concept, which had previously been implemented in collaboration with petrol stations.
“We previously implemented the safety point concept with petrol stations, but this time we want to expand it through the KK Mart network.
“Police aim to implement the initiative in the near future once all technical processes and approvals have been finalised,” he told reporters at a press conference after officiating the opening of a KK Mart outlet at the Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent Headquarters today.
Fadil said the participating outlets could also serve as temporary stopover points for police personnel while conducting patrols or operations in the field.
He said the initiative would further enhance community safety while strengthening cooperation between the police, private sector and the public.
Meanwhile, Fadil said PDRM was also exploring potential technological cooperation with KK Mart, particularly through the sharing of the retailer’s closed-circuit television (CCTV) network.
He said KK Mart currently operated more than 1,100 outlets nationwide, with each outlet equipped with about 16 CCTV cameras that were centrally monitored from the company’s headquarters.
“This means there are more than 17,000 CCTV cameras that could potentially be used as an additional source of information for the police.
“If they can be linked to facial and identity recognition systems, we would be able to track the movements of suspects and identify locations they had previously visited more quickly,” he said.
Fadil said such technology-driven cooperation could go beyond assisting criminal investigations, as it demonstrated how the private sector could play a more direct role in enhancing community safety.
He stressed, however, that the proposal would first be refined through discussions between PDRM, KK Mart and the relevant agencies to ensure security, privacy and legal compliance were given priority before any implementation.
The proposed partnership would provide police with an expanded network of potential safety points and surveillance resources, while giving members of the public more options to seek assistance during emergencies. – September 15,2026