The Royal Malaysia Police (often abbreviated RMP; , PDRM; Jawi: ) is a primarily uniformed national and federal police force of Malaysia. The force is a centralised organisation, and its headquarters are located at Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur. The police force is led by an Inspector-General of Police (IGP) who, , is Mohd Khalid Ismail. Since 10 May 2024, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is also the Honorary Commissioner-in-Chief of the police force.
The constitution, control, employment, recruitment, funding, discipline, duties and powers of the police force are specified and governed by the Police Act 1967.
The RMP constantly co-operates with police forces worldwide, including from those six neighbouring countries Malaysia shares a border with: Indonesian National Police, Philippine National Police, Royal Brunei Police Force, Royal Thai Police, Singapore Police Force and People's Public Security of Vietnam.
There are currently more than 130,000 sworn officers under the Royal Malaysian Police. The RMP often works closely with other law enforcement agencies in the country such as the customs department, immigration department, maritime enforcement agency and many more.
History
A police force has been in existence in what is today called Malaysia since the days of the Malacca Sultanate. Malacca's canonical law created what was essentially a police force in Malaysia in the fifteenth century, through the institution of the Temenggung and Hulubalang, or royal warriors. During the Sultan of Malacca's absence, the Bendahara, or Prime Minister, held absolute authority, with the power to hand out sentences, but it was the Temenggung who acted as the Police Chief or Inspector General of Police. His tasks were to arrest criminals, build jails and implement sentences. Apart from the Temenggung, there were a number of Penghulu or village chiefs who had the duty of policing their respective villages. Their main tasks included tax collection, law enforcement and preserving village security. These Malacca police systems ended when, on 10 August 1511, a Portuguese fleet led by Afonso de Albuquerque conquered Malacca for the Portuguese crown. Police duties were then largely performed by the Portuguese soldiers.
During the sixteenth century, Malaysia became a cosmopolitan society and the Portuguese government introduced the Kapitan administration. On 14 January 1641, however, the Portuguese lost Malacca to the Dutch Empire, when the Dutch invaded with the help of soldiers from Johor state, at a time when the Portuguese were at war with the Sultanate of Acheh. The Dutch retained the Kapitan system, but when the growing number of Europeans in Malaysia made change necessary, a police force known as the 'Burgher Guard' was established. The Burgher Guard was controlled by the Dutch, but their subordinates were made up of the local citizens. Village leaders continued to assume the duties of policemen under Dutch rule, as they had since before the Portuguese arrived.
Following the assimilation of Malacca into the British Empire in 1795, a modern police organisation in Malaysia was formed, on 25 March 1807, after the Charter of Justice in Penang was granted, with Penang being the first to form a police force. 25 March is today marked as Police Day in Malaysia. Most of the officers were of British origin. Later, this organisation was developed in the Straits Settlements and other Malay states, particularly the Federated Malay States. At that time, independent police forces were established for each respective state. Only after World War II was a central police organisation formed, known as the Civil Affairs Police Force. This organisation was formed in Malaya and led by a British colonial, H.B. Longworthy, who had to stabilise the police forces after the anarchy of Japanese occupation. One of the immediate problems faced by the police at this time was the rebellion of the communist party. During the confrontation between Malaysia and Indonesia, which lasted from 1963 to 1965, the police force, along with military forces, fought against the infiltration of Indonesian forces into the states of Johor and Sabah.
Almost a year after Independence Day, on 24 July 1958, His Majesty the King of Malaya Tuanku Abdul Rahman Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Muhamad bestowed the title Royal to the Federation of Malaya Police in honor of not only its service during the Malayan Emergency but also for its 151 years of continuous service to the nation. In 1963, the Royal Federation of Malayan Police (RFMP), the North Borneo Police Force and the Sarawak Constabulary were merged to form the Royal Malaysia Police. The Singapore Police Force became a component unit of the RMP until Singapore's independence in 1965.
Insignia The flag and insignia of the Royal Malaysia Police has a blue-coloured background which symbolises the Malaysian masses. In the centre of the flag is the PDRM symbol coloured silver or white. The police symbol is made up of an intersected Kris and Ilang / Klewang machete. Above the PDRM symbol, there is a tiger head in a garland of Paddy flowers, with a scroll underneath bearing the name Polis Diraja Malaysia. Arabic lettering in the Crown includes the words Allah on the right and Muhammad on the left.
Moon and star The Moon and Star symbolises Islam as the official religion of Malaysia.
Crown The crown, depicted on the Royal Malaysia Police insignia, is a panegyric reference to the King of Malaysia, bestowing the "Royal" title to its name. The words Allah and Muhammad in Arabic, which respectively symbolize Allah the Almighty and Muhammad as the Messenger, signifies Islam as the official religion and faith of RMP personnel are willing to uphold justice and the security of the people of Malaysia.
Kris and the Ilang sword The Kris is an important symbol of the Malay Peninsula. This particular weapon was used by Malay warriors in the past. According to Frey (2003), who concluded from Sir Stamford Raffles' (1817) study of the Candi Sukuh, the kris came into existence around AD 1361. Others believe that early forms were inspired by the daggers of the Dong-Son in Vietnam (circa 300 BC). In the temples of Borobudur (825 CE) and Prambanan (850CE), renderings of the Kris have been found.
The traditional machete, Ilang or Klewang symbolises the states of Sarawak and Sabah in East Malaysia and it represents the spirit of heroism of a multitude of ethnic tribes such as the Dayak, Dusun, Bajau and Kadazan.
Tiger head The tiger head symbolises courage, strength and spirits of RMP.
Paddy flower Paddy flower is a reference to paddy and rice, the staple food for Malaysians and it signifies national prosperity.
Motto The RMP motto represents team spirit and determination.
Sang Saka Biru The PDRM flag is called the Blue Perennial or Sang Saka Biru; each colour has its own distinctive meaning and the flag symbolises the force's pride and integrity.
Police pledge Section 20 (3) Police Act 1967 stipulates that the duties of the Royal Malaysia Police personnel are as follows:
Apprehending all persons whom he is by law authorised to apprehend; Processing security intelligence; Conducting prosecutions; Giving assistance in the carrying out of any law relating to revenue, excise, sanitation, quarantine, immigration and registration; Giving assistance in the preservation of order in the ports, harbours and airports of Malaysia, and in enforcing maritime and port regulations; Executing summonses, subpoenas, warrants, commitments and other process lawfully issued by any competent authority; Exhibiting information; Protecting unclaimed and lost property and finding the owners thereof; Seizing stray animals and placing them in a public pound; Giving assistance in the protection of life and property; Protecting public property from loss or injury; Attending the criminal courts and, if specially ordered, the civil courts, and keeping order therein; and Escorting and guarding prisoners and other persons in the custody of the police.
Modern day
Inspectors-General of Police
Police ranks Gazetted officers
Commissioners Superintendents Inspectors Royal Malaysia Police No equivalent Honorary Commissioner-in-Chief of Police (HCC) Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Deputy Inspector General of police (DIG) Commissioner of Police (CP) Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SAC) Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Superintendent of Police (SUPT) Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Inspector (Insp) Probationary Inspector (P/Insp)
Rank and Files officers Non-commissioned officers Constables Royal Malaysia Police No equivalent No equivalent Sub-Inspector (SI) Sergeant Major (SM) Sergeant (Sgt) Corporal (Cpl) Lance Corporal (L/Cpl) Police Constable (Const)
Lower ranks of police officers apart from Sub-Inspectors wear their rank insignia on the right sleeve of their uniforms. Sub-Inspectors and higher ranks wear their rank insignia on epaulettes on both shoulders.
Prior to 16 February 1996, the police rank were translated from English such as Deputy Commissioner of Police translated as Timbalan Pesuruhjaya Polis. After 16 February 1996, the police rank were translated from Bahasa Malaysia such as Deputy Commissioner of Police translated as Deputi Komisioner Polis, however the abbreviation of police rank would still be in English.
RMP organisational structure RMP is distributed into over 1000 police stations, with several stations making up a police district. The Officer in-Charge of Police Station (OCS) reports to the Officer in-Charge of Police District (OCPD).
Apart from the three departments involved in the administration: the Management Department and the Logistics & Technology Department and Integrity and Standards Compliance Department, RMP has seven departments involved in crime prevention: Criminal Investigation Department, Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department, Internal Security and Public Order Department, Special Branch, Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department, Commercial Crime Investigation Department and Traffic Enforcement and Investigation Department. All departments are led by the directors with the rank of Commissioner of Police (Army Equivalent rank of Three Stars General or Lieutenant-General).
Police heads
Type Appointment Rank Officer Effective Tenure Ref. Honorary Commissioner-in-ChiefofPolice Honorary Commissioner-in-ChiefofPolice of Malaysia Honorary Commissioner-in-ChiefofPolice HCC Sultan Ibrahim 2024 Inspector-GeneralofPolice Inspector-GeneralofPolice of Malaysia Inspector-GeneralofPolice IGP Mohd Khalid Ismail 2025 Deputy Inspector-GeneralofPolice Deputy Inspector-GeneralofPolice of Malaysia Deputy Inspector-GeneralofPolice DIG Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay 2023 Commissioner of Police SabahPolice Commissioner Commissioner of Police CP Jauteh Dikun 2023 SarawakPolice Commissioner Commissioner of Police CP Mohamad Zainal Abdullah 2025 Chief of Police JohorPolice Chief Commissioner of Police CP Ab Rahaman Arsad 2025 KedahPolice Chief Commissioner of Police CP Adzli Abu Shah 2025 KelantanPolice Chief Commissioner of Police CP Mohd Yusoff Mamat 2024 MalaccaPolice Chief Deputy Commissioner of Police DCP Dzulkhairi Mukhtar 2025 Negeri SembilanPolice Chief Deputy Commissioner of Police DCP Alzafny Ahmad 2025 PenangPolice Chief Commissioner of Police CP Dennis Lim Kwang Keng 2026 PahangPolice Chief Commissioner of Police CP Yahaya Othman 2023 PerakPolice Chief Commissioner of Police CP Mohd Alwi Zainal Abidin 2026 PerlisPolice Chief Deputy Commissioner of Police DCP Muhammad Abdul Halim 2023 SelangorPolice Chief Commissioner of Police CP Shazeli Kahar 2025 TerengganuPolice Chief Deputy Commissioner of Police DCP Mohd Khairi Khairudin 2024 Kuala LumpurPolice Chief Commissioner of Police CP Fadil Marsus 2025
Staff departments