Khalid, however, pointed out that although street crimes have increased, the country’s crime index has gone down by one per cent.

Speaking to reporters at the Sunway Resort Hotel and Spa today, he, however, assured the public that the force was working hard to contain the situation and are taking several measures to overcome the problem.

Asked whether the allocation for police in Budget 2017 was sufficient, Khalid said it could have been more to “modernise” the force.

In his Budget 2017 speech last month, Prime Minister Najib Razak said the government has allocated RM8.7 billion to the police force.

Khalid acknowledged that there were other areas which were equally important such as education and health, which also needed funding.

On another matter, he said police were constantly collaborating with local councils on ensuring the closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs) at crime hotspots were well maintained and in good working condition.

“CCTVs not only help in detecting crime but also solving them, as it makes people think twice before committing a crime.”

It was reported that police would use part of the allocation to replace its ageing fleet of patrol vehicles, to “catch up” with the more powerful and modern vehicles used by criminals.