The programmes will also be extended to other places of worship including churches and temples in future, Bukit Aman Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department director Rosli Ab Rahmar said.

A total of 6,047 mosques registered under the Islamic Religious Councils of Terengganu and Pahang and several other states have implemented the programme since 2012.

Rosli said the department will appoint a liaison officer in each mosque and provide a police patrol box to highlight the presence of police.

The department will also provide space on the mosque’s notice boards to display information and news about policing work.

“The programme has been successful in curbing crimes such as theft of money from the donation box and motorcycles in areas around the mosque,” Rosli told Bernama.

He said that as part of the effort, police liaison officers will visit mosques twice a month to obtain feedback on security and arrange meetings between the mosque officials and senior police officers.

Police personnel from the mobile patrol vehicle (MPV) and motorcycle patrol (URB) units will also perform prayers with the people to bring the police force closer to the people, he said.

Rosli said a similar programme will be extended to other places of worship including churches and temples.

“Police are also conducting regular patrols and have installed police boxes in other places of worship but have not appointed liaison officers yet,” he said.

Several incidents have taken place at mosques recently. The latest happened on Jan 28 when a man was arrested for allegedly trying to burn a mosque in Chendering, Kuala Terengganu.