Kuala lumpur: Some 1.7 million Malaysians have registered for the Volunteer Smartphone Patrol (VSP) app, and the Bukit Aman Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department (JPJKK) is targeting more users to further strengthen crime prevention efforts. Its director Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri said the growing use of the app, developed by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), is crucial as it provides significant benefits for monitoring and eases the workload of all parties.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohd Yusri emphasized the app's importance, especially during festive seasons like Aidilfitri, when many people return to their hometowns, leaving their homes unoccupied. "The VSP app enables members of the public to send information directly to the police without having to visit a station or contact the operations room," he said.

He further noted that so far, 1.7 million people have registered nationwide, and the department aims for this number to increase. "We want this number to continue rising, because the more people use VSP, the more effective our patrols and monitoring can be," Mohd Yusri told reporters after the JPJKK Ramadan Tour programme.

Mohd Yusri explained that through the app, users only need to provide information such as their name, address, period of absence from home, and contact number for follow-up action by the police. This information is then forwarded to the District Control Centre (DCC) or Contingent Control Centre (CCC), which enables regular patrols in the residential areas.

Additionally, he mentioned that the system allows the police to organise patrols more efficiently by zone, focusing on areas identified as crime hotspots or blackspots.