BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN — The Royal Brunei Police Force’s Special Operations Squad (PGK) must step up the quality of its training to ensure it meets international standards, His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah said on Wednesday.
In his titah during an unscheduled visit to the PGK Complex at Kg Sg Akar, he said police training must remain up-to-date and reach the set standards.
“I want PGK to come up with short and long-term plans,” he said.
The monarch also questioned whether RBPF has any safety training regulations in place.
“If there are none, I want a plan to draft it immediately,” he added.
His Majesty said improvements — from equipment, infrastructure and maintenance to safety of PGK members — must be achieved.
“If the equipment and infrastructure are in good condition, it will certainly ensure the safety and raise the morale of the members during training,” he said.
Attention should also be given to PGK’s operational assets, such as the shortage of vehicles.
The sultan queried whether PGK has had to use the Criminal Intelligence Department’s vehicles because there were only a few vehicles available.
“If this is true, does it not affect the effectiveness of PGK in carrying out its duties and responsibilities?.
“I want all of these issues to be taken care of and I want to be informed of every development,” he added.
His Majesty also welcomed PGK’s plans to conduct training with regional and international elite teams.
‘Avoid cronyism in formulation of succession plan’
The monarch reiterated that RBPF needs a succession plan that is devoid of favouritism or cronyism.
“I expect PKG to have ‘the right officers in the right posts.”
His Majesty previously raised the need for a succession plan within the police force during a visit to the RBPF headquarters in September 2019.
The monarch said all organisations should have a leader who is competent and disciplined in leading an elite team, one who looks after the welfare of its members and listens to the problems of their subordinates.
The visit to PGK comes after he criticised the police force for eroding public trust in 2019 as mismanagement and corruption cases emerged.
His Majesty also made an unannounced visit to the Anti-Corruption Bureau on Wednesday.