Inspector-General of Police (Malaysia)

The Inspector-General of Police (abbreviation: IGP; Ketua Polis Negara — KPN), also known as the Chief of Police, is the highest-ranking police officer of the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP; Polis Diraja Malaysia — PDRM). He was assisted by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG or DIGP; Timbalan Ketua Polis Negara — 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.

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.

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: