A total of 7,000 security personnel have been deployed in Malaysian capital for the 27th summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to be held here this weekend, the authorities said Friday.[Special coverage]
Datuk Muhammad Fuad Abu Zarim, director of the Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department (KDNKA), told the media that the move was taken after the deadly terror attacks in Paris.
"Previously our plan is just 4,000 security personnel. After the incidents in Paris, we increased our security personnel to 7,000, almost half more than that we planned," the director said.
"At present, we put 7,000 security personnel in place, including the military."
"We got an emergency plan. That is inside our operational planning ... We have our drill already. We are prepared for that," he said.
"We got our helicopters on standby, we have our men on standby, especially to make sure our heads of government are safe at the meetings," he added.
The tightened security also came after local media claimed Thursday that there was a leaked internal police memo on the presence of suicide bombers in Sabah and Kuala Lumpur.
According to the media, Malaysia's Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed Thursday the authenticity of the leaked memo.
He said police were monitoring all potential threats, and action was being taken to neutralize or thwart suicide bombers.
"We will not allow such things to happen," he was quoted by the media as saying.
The 27th summit of ASEAN will be held on Saturday and Sunday with the theme "Our People, Our Community, Our Vision."
Malaysia takes on the rotating chair of ASEAN in 2015.
