The industry has a key role in supporting the authorities in areas such as border security, protection of key installations as well as maintaining security at various commercial buildings, said Law and Second Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam on Tuesday.

He said the annual police audit of the private security industry is necessary to ensure a 'competent and professional' industry to help safeguard security.

The minister was speaking at the World Security Forum, where security companies and managers, police officers and representatives from the hotel and oil industries meet to discuss how to handle and manage a crisis.

Mr Shanmugam also gave examples of the efforts that had gone into raising the standards in the industry: Last year, the authorities launched the Security Workforce Skills Qualifications programme - which saw 1,600 security officers trained every month in lessons such as handling an emergency and how to plan for a patrol.

The Private Security Industry Act was also enacted last year to regulate the industry. Every security officer and private investigators has to be issued personal licences under the Act. Presently, the licences are issued to the security companies.

'With the responsibility for the licence now resting primarily with the individual security officer and private investigator, this is expected to foster greater pride in the profession and greater impetus for security officers to upgrade and maintain their skills,' he said.

In his keynote address to the forum, Malaysia's Home Affairs Minister, Syed Hamid Syed Jaafar Albar called for a regional standard for the private security industry in Asean, although he said he was aware of the difficulties involved.

'Asean can further improve the quality of private security in this region by collaborating and working together in innovating new approaches and practices as well as share the best practices adopted by the leading players in the industry,' he said.