Page 384 - The Guide To Sarawak

382 USEFUL INFORMATION
Kuching’s Central Police Station, opposite Padang Merdeka, is one of the city’s oldest landmarks. All Police Stations in Sarawak are painted white and blue for easy identification.
Sarawak Is a Safe Place
Despite its vast area and rugged terrain, Sarawak
is a safe place to visit,
work and live. The diverse peoples of Sarawak are peaceful and law abiding by nature, so crime does not occur too frequently;
a snatch theft or pickpocketing incident still makes front page news. Sarawak’s crime rate is very low at between 3 and 5 index cases per 1,000 population, compared to between 8 and 15 per 1,000 elsewhere in Malaysia.
The Royal Malaysian Police
(Polis DiRaja Malaysia or PDRM) has over 7,900
police officers stationed
in Sarawak, as well as over 1,100 civilian personnel. There are 27 main police stations, one for each
of the 27 police districts in Sarawak, as well as
hundreds of sub-stations and beat boxes, even in remote areas. Most police officers speak English.
As well as general policing, PDRM has other specialized units
A Tourist Police officer assisting visitors at Kuching Waterfront. The Tourist Police Unit is tasked with not only safeguarding visitors, but also helping to make their stay in Sarawak as enjoyable as possible.