Inspector-General of Police (Malaysia) explained

Post:Inspector-General
Body:Royal Malaysia Police
Native Name:Ketua Polis Negara
كتوا ڤوليس نڬارا
Incumbent:Razarudin Husain
Incumbentsince:23 June 2023
Style:Yang Berbahagia
Type:Inspector-general of police
Department: Royal Malaysia Police
Seat:Jalan Bukit Aman, Tasik Perdana, 50560 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Member Of:Police Force Commission
Reports To:Minister of Home Affairs
Appointer:Yang di-Pertuan Agong
Appointer Qualified:on the advice of Prime Minister
Termlength:mandatory retirement age at 60
Constituting Instrument:Article 140 (4)(5)
Precursor:Commissioner of Police of Malaya
Formation:1963
First:Claude Fenner
Abbreviation:IGP
Deputy:Deputy Inspector-General of Police
Insignia:Royal Malaysian Police.svg
Insigniacaption:Logo of the Royal Malaysia Police

The Inspector-General of Police (abbreviation: IGP; — KPN), also known as the Chief of Police, is the highest-ranking police officer of the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP;). He was assisted by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG or DIGP; — TKPN) or Deputy Police Inspector-General (DPIG), he reports to the Minister of Home Affairs. The IGP is based at Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur which is the Headquarters of the RMP.

The current IGP is Razarudin Husain – having succeeded his predecessor, Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani in June 2023.[1]

Inspectors-General of Police currently are mandated to retire once reach the age of 60, but may be extended upon exceptional circumstances.

When the Inspector-General of Police is unable to perform his duties, is absent from work, or is on vacation, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police shall assume the duties of the Inspector-General of Police.

History

During the (Malacca Sultanate) (1400–1511), the position that resembles modern chief of police is the Temenggong ('Chief of Public Security'). After the fall of Malacca and up to the 17th century, Malaya was under several western powers including Portugal, the Netherlands and Britain, and the task of securing public safety in Malaya fell to these nations' militaries.[2]

In 1807, the British administration in Malaya has approved the Charter of Justice. Under the Charter, British administrations allowed a police force comprising locals to be formed. Penang is the first to establish their police force and James Carnegy was appointed to be the first Sheriff of Prince of Wales Islands (the then name for Penang). Malacca is the second state to establish its police force which is in 1827 and other states followed — Johor in 1882, the Federated Malay States in 1896, Kedah and Kelantan in 1909 and Terengganu in 1914. Captain Charles Henry Syers who was the Selangor Commissioner of Police was appointed to be the first Federated Malay States' Commissioner of Police. For North Borneo, Sarawak established its police force namely the Sarawak Rangers, in 1862, and Sabah in 1882.

After World War II and the Japanese occupation of Malaya, the British administration has merged all police forces in Malaya into Malayan Union Police and based in Kuala Lumpur. After the independence of Malaya, the name was changed to Federation of Malaya Police. On 16 September 1963, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore merged with Federation of Malaya and formed Malaysia. The name of the police force once again changed to its current name — the Royal Malaysia Police. Commissioner Claude Fenner, who was the Federation of Malaya's Commissioner of Police was appointed to become the first Inspector-General of Police of Malaysia.

Appointment

According to the Federal Constitution, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall first appoint a inspector-general of police to preside over the police force according to Article 140 (4)(5) with the consent of His Majesty the Yang di-Pertuan Agong with the Prime Minister's advice on the Police Force Commission's certificate. This person must be a Malaysian citizen.

Coat of Arms and Clothing

The IGP's shirt is dark blue same as other police officers, with a crown, a double keris Golden Harvest and four stars as shoulder insignia. The collar badge has a leaf pattern. The police cap has white double rice ears decoration.

List of the Inspectors-General of Police

Since 1958, a total of 14 Inspectors-General of Police have been appointed. The list is as follows:[3] [4] [5]

No.PortraitInspector-General of PoliceTerm of officeMinister of Home Affairs
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1.
Claude Fenner
18 September 195828 February 1966Suleiman Abdul Rahman
(31 August 1957 – 1959)
Leong Yew Koh
(1959 – 12 January 1963)
Ismail Abdul Rahman
(1 August 1962 – 1965)
2.
Mohamed Salleh Ismael
29 March 196631 January 1973Ismail Abdul Rahman
(1965 – 1 June 1967)
Abdul Razak Hussein
(1 June 1967 – 20 May 1969)
Ismail Abdul Rahman
(20 May 1969 – 2 August 1973)
3.
Abdul Rahman Hashim
1 February 19737 June 1974Ismail Abdul Rahman
(20 May 1969 – 2 August 1973)
Ghazali Shafie
(13 August 1973 – 16 July 1981)
4.
Mohammed Hanif Omar
8 June 197415 January 1994Ghazali Shafie
(13 August 1973 – 16 July 1981)
Musa Hitam
(17 July 1981 – 16 March 1986)
Mahathir Mohamad
(17 March 1986 – 10 January 1999)
5.
Abdul Rahim Mohd Noor
16 January 19947 January 1999Mahathir Mohamad
(17 March 1986 – 10 January 1999)
6.
Norian Mai
8 January 19994 November 2003Mahathir Mohamad
(17 March 1986 – 10 January 1999)
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
(14 January 1999 – 27 March 2004)
7.
Mohd Bakri Omar
5 November 200311 September 2006Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
(14 January 1999 – 27 March 2004)
Azmi Khalid
(27 March 2004 – 13 February 2006)
Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad
(14 February 2006 – 17 March 2008)
8.
Musa Hassan
12 September 200612 September 2010Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad
(14 February 2006 – 17 March 2008)
Syed Hamid Albar
(18 March 2008 – 9 April 2009)
Hishammuddin Hussein
(10 April 2009 – 20 April 2013)
9.
Ismail Omar
13 September 201016 May 2013Hishammuddin Hussein
(10 April 2009 – 20 April 2013)
Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
(16 May 2013 – 9 May 2018)
10.
Khalid Abu Bakar
17 May 20133 September 2017Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
(16 May 2013 – 9 May 2018)
11.
Mohamad Fuzi Harun
4 September 20173 May 2019Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
(16 May 2013 – 9 May 2018)
Muhyiddin Yassin
(21 May 2018 – 24 February 2020)
12.
Abdul Hamid Bador
4 May 20193 May 2021Muhyiddin Yassin
(21 May 2018 – 24 February 2020)
Hamzah Zainudin
(10 March 2020 – 24 November 2022)
13.
Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani
4 May 202122 June 2023Hamzah Zainudin
(10 March 2020 – 24 November 2022)
Saifuddin Nasution Ismail
(since 3 December 2022)
14.
Razarudin Husain
23 June 2023IncumbentSaifuddin Nasution Ismail
(since 3 December 2022)

Living former Inspectors-General

Name Term of office Date of birth
1994–1999 6 June 1943 (age)
1999–2003 5 November 1946 (age)
2006–2010 13 September 1951 (age)
2010–2013 17 May 1953 (age)
2013–2017 5 September 1957 (age)
2017–2019 4 May 1959 (age)
2019–2021 7 August 1958 (age)
2021–2023 3 October 1961 (age)

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Razarudin Husain named new IGP effective June 23. The Star. 21 June 2023. 21 June 2023.
  2. News: Perjuangan Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) Mencapai Dan Mengekalkan Kemerdekaan Malaysia. National Library of Malaysia. 24 July 2019. ms.
  3. News: Senarai Ketua Polis Negara . 24 July 2019 . . 3 May 2019 . ms.
  4. Web site: Ketua Polis Negara PDRM. Royal Malaysian Police. 2018-09-01.
  5. News: Acryl ambil alih jawatan KPN . 3 May 2021 . . 3 May 2021 . ms.