KUALA LUMPUR: Police are looking into acquiring facial recognition technology to add to its arsenal to combat crime.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said they were currently studying the software which would help the police identify suspects faster.

“Technology is always evolving and we need to stay ahead of the game in order to combat criminals who are also constantly evolving their techniques.

“Technology such as facial recognition and number plate recognition and CCTV could give us an advantage over these criminals,” he told reporters after launching the International Fire and Security Exhibition and Conference here yesterday.

Khalid said that CCTV cameras were important but the technology had to be current to help deter criminals.

“What is the use of a CCTV camera if its quality is low? Identifying criminals would be very difficult unless high resolution cameras are used,” he said.

When asked about investigation into The Edge Media Group owner Tong Kooi Ong and publisher Ho Kay Tat, Khalid said investigations were still underway.

“The reason we are still investigating the case is because we have yet to speak to Andre Xavier Justo,” he said.

“Under the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Treaty, our Attorney-General and Foreign Affairs Ministry have asked for help from their counterparts in Thai­land.”

On allegations by Lester Melyani that he has recordings of conversations between former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Sarawak Report Editor Clare Rewcastle Brown, Khalid urged Melyani to lodge a police report.

“We will investigate these allegations once a police report has been lodged,” he said.