One of country’s top crime busters retires from force

KUALA LUMPUR: After 34 years of service, one of the country’s top crime busters, Comm Datuk Seri Salleh Mat Som, bade farewell to the police force yesterday. 

Comm Salleh, who retired as Internal Security and Public Order director, was accorded the traditional parade at the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman here. 

He handed over his duties to Deputy Comm Datuk Abd Halim Abd Hamid.  

Comm Salleh: Advised police to carry out duties with integrity and professionalism.

Comm Salleh, 56, who was born in Perak, started his career in the police force in 1970 as a probationary inspector.  

He had also served as an investigating officer, prosecuting officer, police criminal college commandant, Terengganu and Penang police chief, commercial crimes division chief, narcotics department and criminal investigation department director and National Drugs Agency director before heading the Internal Security and Public Order Department from last February.  

His successes included the cracking of the multi-million-ringgit MIDF share scam and the busting of the M16 gang which had made off with over RM21mil with their daring Special Weapons and Tactical (SWAT) style robberies. 

Comm Salleh said the Internal Security and Public Order Department, comprising the General Operations Force, Special Operations Force, Air Unit, Horse-mounted Unit, Traffic, Anti-Smuggling Unit, marine police, Malaysia Control Centre and Federal Reserve Unit, has maintained the country’s peace and harmony. 

Their operations along the Malaysian–Thai borders and in Malaysian waters had deterred piracy and reduced smuggling activities, he said. 

“Following the riot incidents in southern Thailand, we also prevented the rioters from fleeing into our country,” he added. 

Comm Salleh said the C4I system introduced by the force to battle crimes and currently implemented by the Kuala Lumpur police, had effectively cleared 12 burglary hot spots in the city of break-ins during the recent festive season. 

(C4I stands for Command, Control, Communication, Computer Integrated and Information.) 

Comm Salleh advised police personnel to carry out their duties with integrity and professionalism.