11 Bizarre Task Forces You Didn't Know Existed In Malaysia
We reveal the many task forces that were created to target and eliminate very specific problems faced by Malaysians...
By Darian Goh — 21 Nov 2014, 03:57 PM — Updated almost 10 years ago
On 24 November 2014, we read reports that the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) set up a special task force specifically in dealing with insults to Islam
The Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) will work with the State Islamic Religious Departments (Jain) and the Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to form a special unit to monitor insults against Islam.
themalaysianinsider.com
The Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) will work with the state Islamic religious departments (Jain) and the Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to form a special unit to monitor insults to Islam. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Jamil Khir Baharom said the unit would focus on the new media.
It was an indeed eyebrow raising task force to begin with. So with time on our hands, we decided to check out other weird task forces in Malaysia that you may not know. Read them below...
1. The Check Facebook Post Task Force. In 2010, Malaysia launched a task force to scour web postings that are deemed harmful to national unity.
Malaysia has formed a taskforce to scour the internet for blog postings deemed harmful to national unity, in the latest action against new media. The Home Ministry's deputy secretary-general for security, Abdul Rahim Mohamad Radzi, said the unit would involve the police, internet regulators, the Information Ministry and the Attorney-General's chambers.
Mr Abdul Rahim said the group would also monitor alternative and mainstream media. ''There is a disturbing trend appearing on the internet where some people are inciting racial unrest and causing confusion and this will damage the peace we have in the country.'' He cited a Facebook page that insulted Muslim Malays.
2. The Malaysian Anti-Haze Task Force. Okay, so maybe this wasn't really implemented but the MCA did call for the formation of this late last year!
MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai has called for a bipartisan Haze Taskforce comprising MPs from both sides, Department of Environment officials, and NGO representatives. "This haze is an environmental disaster," he said on Wednesday, exhorting the Malaysian government to work together in seeking a solution.
thestar.com.my"The taskforce will work with its Indonesian counterparts to go down to the ground and establish the source and parties involved in slash and burn practices that go against treaties and local laws," he told reporters during a press conference from the sidelines of Parliament. However, he said, the taskforce could not be set up until the ratification was done by Indonesia.
thestar.com.my3. The Spy On Housewives Task Force. Amanita was set up last year and this task force's main purpose was to gain information from housewives who gossip through their 'window meetings'.
PDRM National Key Result Areas (NKRA) secretariat chairman Datuk Ayub Yaakob said the unit recognised housewives who sometimes had important information which they discussed through their ‘window meetings’.
theborneopost.com
“Our approach is to obtain information on crime which are not reported. Sometimes, this kind of information is passed from mouth to mouth, but not reported because of certain reasons. “The housewives, they know many issues and information which they share through their ‘window meetings’,” he told a media conference after the opening of a crime prevention programme by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
theborneopost.com
4. 1MS4HW. This tongue twisting organisation's is actually the acronym for "1 Malaysia Support For Housewives' Programme". Try saying that quickly.
The 1Malaysia Support for Housewives programme (1MS4HW) was officially launched by the Ministry of Human Resources on Thursday (in 2013) is expected to benefit housewives, single mothers and the disabled.
nambikei.comThe programme, which was introduced in July by the government under the Blue Ocean Strategy, involves various ministries and government agencies that would offer their services to help housewives.
nambikei.com5. The Halal Contamination Scene Unit. Yes, instead of solving murder, this unit's main mission is to investigate if a product is "innocent from contamination of foreign products"
Malaysia has developed the world's first Halal CSI unit! But it's not the kind of Crime Scene Investigation you are thinking about, it's Contamination Scene Investigation.
The Halal CSI unit would be tasked to investigate whether a product has been contaminated by non-halal elements by sabotage, formulation mistake, or if the product is innocent.
6. The Check Longkang And Pipe Maintenance Task Force For Flats. This is still in the pipelines (get the pun?) but it was suggested that this task force be formed to maintain old flats in KL.
A suggestion to set up a new task force to address infrastructure issues at low-cost flats in Kuala Lumpur, has been mooted by Batu MP Tian Chua. The task force, Tian Chua said, would help residents of low-cost flats with dire infrastructure problems to finance large projects.
thestar.com.myHe said the task force should be a part of Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) Urban Renewal Scheme to upgrade the lives of people in low-cost housing units. “There is no point working towards a world-class city status if the existing and older housing projects are in disrepair,” he added.
thestar.com.my7. The River Bank Reclamation Task Force. In Sabah, a task force is set up to reclaim the lost river banks in the Kinabatangan river. They'll be banking on this team for sure!
A special task force is being set up to reclaim river banks illegally cultivated by planters, especially in Sabah’s eastern Kinabatangan region, said the state’s Tourism, Culture and Environment assistant minister Datuk Pang Yuk Ming. “This initiative, fully supported by state (Environment) Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun, is the precursor of many more to come,” he said during an event to remove 8ha of cash crops that had been illegally planted.
thestar.com.my“We are extremely proud to be part of this initiative, and to work together with Kopel and the Sabah Wildlife Department to make a difference for the future generation,” he said. Dr Benoit said talk about riparian reserve encroachment has been going on for many years, and to see action finally taken is most gratifying.
thestar.com.my8. The Unclaimed Dividends Task Force. This task force is pretty cool, their job is to hunt down people who haven't claimed dividends. They're basically the loan shark's arch enemy!
"If you don't collect your money, we spray your car with paint!". Picture for illustration purposes only.
Image via mca.org.myA task force has been set up by Matang Holdings Bhd to sort out some RM3.2mil in unclaimed dividends. Jason Teoh Sew Hock, who is a director of the company and heading the task force, said the unclaimed amount was from the last six dividends given out to shareholders. “Since 1984, Matang has given out dividends 22 times and in total, there are about RM5.4mil in uncollected dividends.
thestar.com.my9. The Anti-Throwing Rocks On Highway Cars From Pedestrian Bridges Task Force. This police task force is set up to ensure no stones are being thrown at pedestrian bridges. The name says it all.
A police task force is investigating the incidents where stones have been hurled at cars from pedestrian bridges in Cheras. “We are not sure if the people involved are mentally unsound or mischievous, but we will get to the bottom of this,” said Cheras OCPD ACP Mohan Singh. Two police reports have been lodged this month on the incidents.
thestar.com.my10. The Latin American Prevention Task Force. The Selangor police has set this task force up to come down hard on hispanics in Malaysia following an increase in crime done by them.
Selangor police are coming down hard on foreigners, especially Latin Americans, following a spate of crimes in the state. State police chief Senior Deputy Comm Datuk Mohd Shukri Dahlan said a task force, comprising the police, Immigration Department, Customs Department and Malaysia Airline Holdings Berhad (MAHB), has been formed to impose stricter checks on the entry of foreigners.
thestar.com.my“If the situation worsens, then the task force will forward a recommendation to limit the entry of those from Latin American countries,” he said. On their modus operandi, he said the Latinos would enter Malaysia on social visit passes and escape to neighbouring countries when their permits expired.
thestar.com.my11. The Don't Kacau Places Of Worship Task Force. It is quite sad that we need to have a task force so that no one disturbs holy places. The task force was set up after there were attacks on churches in Penang.
Police have set up a task force comprising 73 senior officers and 210 personnel to ensure that no new disturbances occur at churches and mosques in the state.
thestar.com.myPenang police chief Senior Deputy Comm Datuk Wira Abdul Rahim Hanafi said they would conduct patrols around these places of worship.
thestar.com.my