Slightly more than 3 months from now, on 1st February 2011, I will be leaving a world that has taken 34 years of my life. It is a lie if I say that I am not looking forward to and feeling very, very, very happy, leaving the Royal Malaysia Police Force and the mini emperors that is berlambak in the force. I joined it to earn a living, as time goes by, I begin to believe in the work that I am doing, became dedicated to it and devoted 34 years of my life to the Force, giving it my best. Unfortunately, I will be saying goodbye to my blue uniform, a disillusioned man. Again it would be a travesty of the truth if I say that I am not feeling sad leaving my colleagues, the camaraderie, the esprit de corps and the working spirit that is the Royal Malaysia Police (although these 3 elements are near extinct today).
Because I am only a superintendant of police, there will be no “Beating The Retreat” (Paluan Berundur) or a mess night to send me off. But that is not to say that I am not grateful to Allah the Almighty for allowing me to become a retired superintendent soon. When I look behind, there are those who were confirmed inspectors when I first reported as a probationary inspector in the Kuala Lumpur Special Branch in 1978, but are only Assistant Superintendants of Police now. In a way I have been blessed by Allah s.n.w.
Because there is no chance for me to deliver my “Amanat” to my subordinates, as I am not even an OCPD or Commandant, who will normally be given the chance to deliver their “Amanat” on their retirement, this blog is my only channel to say something and feel important. Eventhough it will be definitely be a case of syok sendiri.
I joined the labour market as a kuli batak in 1969, soon after I sat for my Cambridge School Certificate examinations. Initially at a construction site in Queenstown, Singapore, trundling wheelbarrows of concrete mix to the construction area, earning $5 (Singapore dollars) a day and later graduating to odd job labourer at the Yoong Tai Loong Aluminium factory (YTL) in Jurong. As a result of eating nasi bungkus during lunch at the YTL, I became an officer cadet of the Malaysian Army on 10th June 1971.
The nasi bungkus I was eating was wrapped in old newspaper, not the eco-unfriendly polystyrene pack of today. It so happened that the particular old newspaper used, contains a recruiting advertisement for short service commission officers in the Malaysian Armed Forces. Not knowing that the term “short service commission” means contract officers, I applied, was accepted into the Sebatang Karah Officer Cadet School in Port Dickson and the Cadet Wing of the Royal Military College, Sungei Besi, Selangor, culminating in my commissioning as a 2nd lieutenant on 14 April 1972.
I completed my contract on 14 April 1975, joined Riadah Malaysia Sdn Bhd soon after and left in 1977. On 3rd July 1977 I became a probationary inspector of the Polis Diraja Malaysia earning RM 650 monthly with a housing allowance of RM 210.
Tak payah ceritalah pasal pengalaman dalam PDRM. Bagi saya, lebih banyak pengalaman yang pahit berbisa daripada yang manis bermadu. Tapi buat apalah kita mengenang kisah yang lama kerana mustahil kita dapat memutar kitaran masa dan berbalik ke belakang untuk memperbetul kesilapan masa lampau. Betul tak?
On passing out from PULAPOL, Jalan Semarak in January 1978, I was posted to the Special Branch, Kuala Lumpur, first with the E7, a combined military/police operations unit of the Special Branch and later as Desk Officer, Muslim Religious Extremism before becoming area special branch officer for Kepong/Jinjang.
Sometimes in August 1984, I asked for and was transferred to the Marine Police, Southern Command in Pengkalan Renting, Johor Bahru as executive officer, patrol boat PX 20. Two years later, I was administration & training officer in the Marine Police HQ, Bukit Aman.
I joined the Anti Secret Societies, Vice & Gaming Branch of the CID HQ, Bukit Aman in December 1988, as case file officer southern zone, promoted to ASP in 1994 and later establishing and becoming head of the D7 operations unit. Yes, that’s right. I set up the unit but did not get any commendation letter for that. I spend a good and productive 10 years in the D7 but was too naive and very bodoh, not to make any money out of it, a decision I regretted to this day.
In November 1997, I opted to joined the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Angola, Africa. The highlight of my 1 year tour there was being caught in two cross fires between rebels and government forces. Once during a road ambush and the other when rebels attacked a government held town, our teamsite was located in. In some way, it was an adrenalin rush being caught in crossfires and being evacuated 1 week later from the beseiged town by a company from the Indian Army.
Back in Malaysia in November 1998, I was reassigned to D3, the inspectorate division of the CID, spent a good 2 years there, before being promoted to DSP in January 2001 as Head of the Misc Investigation Unit, Commercial Crime Investigation Branch (BSJP) CID, Bukit Aman.
4 years later I was kicked out and cold storaged at the Police College, Cheras and on 2nd April 2007, Allah s.n.w. decided that it is time for me to be promoted, enabling me to end my days as a Superintendant of Police in the Commercial Crime Investigation Department, now a department by itself in the RMP.
That in brief, is my history in the Royal Malaysia Police. I will not highlight my achievements in the force, for if I were to do that, I am afraid my granddaughter will asked me an embarrasing question. “Grandpa, if you are so terror one in the police, how come you retire only as Supt and not as a Commissioner of Police and a Dato’ some more?”
Albeit a few guffs along the way, I am leaving the force knowing that I have done my best. Unlike Dato’ Razak Bukhari, I will apologized to those whom I have inadvertently and without malice aforethought, hurt their feelings whilst executing my duties as a senior police officer. If it is any consolation, if I have been terse with my words and rough in my approach to getting things done, it is because I am not a diplomat. My sincere apologies to those whom I have offended.
To those who still have a very long, long, long way in the police force, maybe the advice of most silat or martial arts masters should be heeded if you want to go far in the force. Martial Arts Masters will tell you to go with the flow, not against it. Bruce Lee once said, “Follow the way of the leaf that flows with the tide of a raging river over sticks and stones. It reaches land without any mark on it or broken.” To that I must add my own 10 sen worth. Forget about your principles or idealism if you want to go far, not only in the force but also in this country. Be like the syncophants (kaki bodeks) of UMNO, who bergolek-golek menangis apabila Mahathir nak bersara but condemned the old man for speaking his mind without the power of a prime minister.
Because I am only a superintendant of police, there will be no “Beating The Retreat” (Paluan Berundur) or a mess night to send me off. But that is not to say that I am not grateful to Allah the Almighty for allowing me to become a retired superintendent soon. When I look behind, there are those who were confirmed inspectors when I first reported as a probationary inspector in the Kuala Lumpur Special Branch in 1978, but are only Assistant Superintendants of Police now. In a way I have been blessed by Allah s.n.w.
Because there is no chance for me to deliver my “Amanat” to my subordinates, as I am not even an OCPD or Commandant, who will normally be given the chance to deliver their “Amanat” on their retirement, this blog is my only channel to say something and feel important. Eventhough it will be definitely be a case of syok sendiri.
I joined the labour market as a kuli batak in 1969, soon after I sat for my Cambridge School Certificate examinations. Initially at a construction site in Queenstown, Singapore, trundling wheelbarrows of concrete mix to the construction area, earning $5 (Singapore dollars) a day and later graduating to odd job labourer at the Yoong Tai Loong Aluminium factory (YTL) in Jurong. As a result of eating nasi bungkus during lunch at the YTL, I became an officer cadet of the Malaysian Army on 10th June 1971.
The nasi bungkus I was eating was wrapped in old newspaper, not the eco-unfriendly polystyrene pack of today. It so happened that the particular old newspaper used, contains a recruiting advertisement for short service commission officers in the Malaysian Armed Forces. Not knowing that the term “short service commission” means contract officers, I applied, was accepted into the Sebatang Karah Officer Cadet School in Port Dickson and the Cadet Wing of the Royal Military College, Sungei Besi, Selangor, culminating in my commissioning as a 2nd lieutenant on 14 April 1972.
I completed my contract on 14 April 1975, joined Riadah Malaysia Sdn Bhd soon after and left in 1977. On 3rd July 1977 I became a probationary inspector of the Polis Diraja Malaysia earning RM 650 monthly with a housing allowance of RM 210.
Tak payah ceritalah pasal pengalaman dalam PDRM. Bagi saya, lebih banyak pengalaman yang pahit berbisa daripada yang manis bermadu. Tapi buat apalah kita mengenang kisah yang lama kerana mustahil kita dapat memutar kitaran masa dan berbalik ke belakang untuk memperbetul kesilapan masa lampau. Betul tak?
On passing out from PULAPOL, Jalan Semarak in January 1978, I was posted to the Special Branch, Kuala Lumpur, first with the E7, a combined military/police operations unit of the Special Branch and later as Desk Officer, Muslim Religious Extremism before becoming area special branch officer for Kepong/Jinjang.
Sometimes in August 1984, I asked for and was transferred to the Marine Police, Southern Command in Pengkalan Renting, Johor Bahru as executive officer, patrol boat PX 20. Two years later, I was administration & training officer in the Marine Police HQ, Bukit Aman.
I joined the Anti Secret Societies, Vice & Gaming Branch of the CID HQ, Bukit Aman in December 1988, as case file officer southern zone, promoted to ASP in 1994 and later establishing and becoming head of the D7 operations unit. Yes, that’s right. I set up the unit but did not get any commendation letter for that. I spend a good and productive 10 years in the D7 but was too naive and very bodoh, not to make any money out of it, a decision I regretted to this day.
In November 1997, I opted to joined the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Angola, Africa. The highlight of my 1 year tour there was being caught in two cross fires between rebels and government forces. Once during a road ambush and the other when rebels attacked a government held town, our teamsite was located in. In some way, it was an adrenalin rush being caught in crossfires and being evacuated 1 week later from the beseiged town by a company from the Indian Army.
Back in Malaysia in November 1998, I was reassigned to D3, the inspectorate division of the CID, spent a good 2 years there, before being promoted to DSP in January 2001 as Head of the Misc Investigation Unit, Commercial Crime Investigation Branch (BSJP) CID, Bukit Aman.
4 years later I was kicked out and cold storaged at the Police College, Cheras and on 2nd April 2007, Allah s.n.w. decided that it is time for me to be promoted, enabling me to end my days as a Superintendant of Police in the Commercial Crime Investigation Department, now a department by itself in the RMP.
That in brief, is my history in the Royal Malaysia Police. I will not highlight my achievements in the force, for if I were to do that, I am afraid my granddaughter will asked me an embarrasing question. “Grandpa, if you are so terror one in the police, how come you retire only as Supt and not as a Commissioner of Police and a Dato’ some more?”
Albeit a few guffs along the way, I am leaving the force knowing that I have done my best. Unlike Dato’ Razak Bukhari, I will apologized to those whom I have inadvertently and without malice aforethought, hurt their feelings whilst executing my duties as a senior police officer. If it is any consolation, if I have been terse with my words and rough in my approach to getting things done, it is because I am not a diplomat. My sincere apologies to those whom I have offended.
To those who still have a very long, long, long way in the police force, maybe the advice of most silat or martial arts masters should be heeded if you want to go far in the force. Martial Arts Masters will tell you to go with the flow, not against it. Bruce Lee once said, “Follow the way of the leaf that flows with the tide of a raging river over sticks and stones. It reaches land without any mark on it or broken.” To that I must add my own 10 sen worth. Forget about your principles or idealism if you want to go far, not only in the force but also in this country. Be like the syncophants (kaki bodeks) of UMNO, who bergolek-golek menangis apabila Mahathir nak bersara but condemned the old man for speaking his mind without the power of a prime minister.
My kampong folks has a nice way of putting it, "When In Rome, Do As The Romans Do" or the Malaysian equivalent of it, "Masuk Kandang Kambing Mengembek, Masuk Kandung Kerbau Menguak". Anda fikirlah sendiri, di kandang mana PDRM berada. Kemudian anda mengembeklah atau menguaklah ikut yang mana lebih sesuai. . A friend of mine, Colonel Ibrahim of the Egyptian Army has a different way of putting it, “Call a dog sir, as long as you get the dog to do what you want it (the dog) to do”. In the end, only you can decide what is best for you.
Till we meet again, salam from Uncle B, who will call a spade a spade even if the Agung says it is a sudu.
Bye!!!!
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