Malaysia, KUALA LUMPUR: A police beat base in the Chow Kit area of downtown Kuala Lumpur was closed down because it was in a location that was considered unsafe, said Home Minister Syed Hamid Albar.

In a written reply to Dr Lo' Lo' Mohamad Ghazali, an MP from the opposition Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), Datuk Seri Syed Hamid said the beat base was located in a dirty area where there was a possibility of being exposed to contagious diseases.

The presence of criminals also posed a threat to the safety of police officers, he said.

Dr Lo' Lo' had asked why the beat base on Jalan Haji Taib was closed considering the high number of vice-related activities in the area, as well as what kind of action the police had taken to curb such activities.

Mr Syed Hamid said that the police were looking for a new location to build a police beat base that would be able to give 'guaranteed and continued service to the public'.