IN JEANS & T-SHIRT, NEW IGP DROPS IN AT POLICE STATIONS IN BID TO MOTIVATE THE FORCE: BUT ADMIRABLE AS HAMID BADOR’S EFFORTS ARE, ‘TOP COP’ MUST NOT EQUAL ‘BUDDING POLITICIAN’ – OR HE WILL SOON BE AS DISRESPECTED AS HIS EX-BOSS KHALID BAKAR

IT’S not every day police stations get a visit from the head honcho. Especially not in plainclothes and alone, without even his Special Action Squad outriders.

On his first stop at the Damansara Utama station, newly minted Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador turned up in jeans and a T-shirt, prompting one unsuspecting policeman to ask him if he was there lodge a report.

Hamid, who took over as IGP barely a month ago, visited three stations over the weekend – Damansara Utama on Saturday, Bidor (Perak) and Taman Melawati (Selangor) on Sunday.

The policemen, who had never before experienced anything like this, posted photographs of the IGP’s visits on social media, which went viral.

Many social media users praised Hamid for his down-to-earth approach.

Facebook user Hilbert Montell commented: “Ini baru KPN, terbaik bossku.” (This is how an IGP should be, my best boss).

Another said: “We are blessed to have an IGP like Hamid. All the best sir.”

Hamid told The Malaysian Insight the visits were impromptu and that he had wanted to meet his men and listen to their grouses.

It is a quiet Sunday at the Bidor police station in Perak – until the Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador (left) shows up. – Pic courtesy of friends of PDRM, May 17, 2019.

“It was not planned. I take the opportunity to go to as many police stations as I can,” he said.

“If I happen to be in an area where there is a police station or police headquarters, I will drop by.”  

Hamid said he is also more likely to get unfiltered feedback from the policemen when his visits are unexpected.

“I told them I need to hear from them what are their grouses and to explain to them what the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) is all about.

“I need the bullets to convince the Home Ministry and the government that the police need a little extra budget to repair aging barracks and improve the conditions.”

Tapah district police chief Wan Azharudin Wan Ismail said the IGP gave him a surprise when he showed up and then proceeded to show interest in the old barracks in Bidor.

“I was surprised. It is not usual for the top cops, let alone the IGP, to visit us without prior notice.

“He came by to see for himself the condition of the barracks and he later instructed the state police contingent to carry out repairs.

“He assured us that our welfare will be taken care of,” Wan Azharudin said.

Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador declines to sit at the back, preferring to ride with the driver in the front of a patrol car. – Pic courtesy of friends of PDRM, May 17, 2019.

An officer from the Damansara Utama police station told The Malaysian Insight that Hamid dropped by to check on the men and their living conditions.

He described his boss as a soft-spoken man with a humble attitude who understands what his men are going through.

“I thought he was there to lodge a police report until I realised he was the IGP.

“His approach is very humble and he understands our plight. He gave us encouraging words to carry out our duty professionally.

“Although we are low-ranking policemen, the way he spoke to us made us feel appreciated. I felt someone at last understood how I felt.  

“Furthermore, how many top cops have you seen visiting a station just to see what it is like here?

“I don’t think this has ever happened before. Official visits, maybe yes, but impromptu visits like this, never,” said the lance corporal who did not want to be named.

Another picture that has gone viral but which was not taken at the police stations shows Hamid sitting next to the driver in a patrol car.

Hamid’s official vehicle had had a flat tyre and a patrol car had come to pick him up. He refused to sit at the back.

Newly minted Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador shows up in T-shirt and jeans at the Damansara Utama station. – Pic courtesy of friends of PDRM, May 17, 2019.

The son of a police constable, Hamid has experienced the life of a low-ranking policeman.

He grew up in a series of police barracks – in Pudu, Kuala Lumpur; Serendah, Rawang; Jerantut, Pahang; and Tampin, Negri Sembilan.

Hamid joined the police force in November 1979 and in 1980-1996, he was assigned to the Special Branch at federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman.

He was the Gombak district deputy police chief in 1999 before returning to the Special Branch in 2001.

In 2005, Hamid was appointed SB chief of Kelantan and the following year he was transferred to Sabah as the state SB chief before he was promoted to SB deputy director 1 in 2009.

THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT