Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Geshina Ayu Mat Saat said the police stand to benefit from improved real-time information and intelligence sharing. However, infrastructural challenges in remote regions, high density zones and maritime borders may hinder full utilisation of the technology.
Geshina was commenting after communications minister Fahmi Fadzil suggested last month that the police force be assigned a secure slice of the 5G bandwidth to improve its policing and the handling of emergencies.
She also raised concerns about the potential costs of 5G network operations.
Geshina proposed that a pilot test be conducted to gauge various aspects of the proposal including the response time, practicality and cost of its use.
“Deeper deliberation is needed, considering local natural and man-made structures and conditions that may make the current quality of technology not as cost-effective.
“This also involves obtaining insights from people and organisations not affiliated with the companies behind such technology, who directly benefit from the sale, rent and maintenance of the products,” she told FMT.
Privacy, civil liberties at risk
Meanwhile, science, technology, and innovation minister Chang Lih Kang highlighted the risk of privacy infringements due to the potential use of the technology for unauthorised surveillance and data collection.
“5G supports the deployment of artificial intelligence-driven applications, such as facial recognition and predictive analytics, enhancing investigative capabilities and resource allocation.
“However, clear guidelines to govern the use of advanced surveillance technologies need to be established to ensure they comply with privacy rights and civil liberties,” he told FMT.
Chang called for cooperation between the police, technology experts, legal advisers, and community representatives to ensure 5G technology is used responsibly.
“Law enforcement agencies should develop curricula that cover the technical aspects of 5G tools, ethical considerations, and legal frameworks,” he said.