Prince who turned cop

KUALA LUMPUR: He left the comfort and luxury of his palace home to stay in a plain barrack at a police academy to fulfil a long cherished dream.

After a gruelling nine-month stint, 21-year-old Tunku Abdul Jalil Iskandar Ibrahim Ismail proudly marched with 959 other probationary inspectors to celebrate his graduation' from the Police Training Centre (Pulapol) here yesterday.

And among the crowd of beaming families who watched the young men and women stride out in their smart ceremonial uniforms in the grand passing out parade were his parents, the Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar and his consort Raja Zarith Sofiah.

While many youngsters dream of a life in the palace, Tunku Abdul Jalil had always wanted to don a police uniform to better serve the people.

“I have always wanted to be a policeman, but I had to be patient until I reached the acceptable age.

“I am ready to be deployed to any place where my services are re-quired,” the soft-spoken prince told a group of eager reporters who surrounded him after the ceremony.

Tunku Abdul Jalil is the first member of the Johor royal family to join the police force.

“My three siblings joined the army and so did my father.

“I feel the time has come for a member of the royal family to show support to the police and work with the community directly,” he said.

Sultan Ibrahim said he was proud of his son who had since young wanted to join the police force.

“He wanted to be of service to the nation and I too felt that he should do so and encouraged him to fulfil his ambition and dream of being a police officer.

“We are all very proud of him and I hope he will excel in his job and do us and the country proud,” Sultan Ibrahim said.

The trainees who completed the 1/2011 probationary inspectors' training series included 390 women.

Present among the dignitaries who attended the two-hour ceremony were Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and his deputy Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar and his deputy Datuk Seri Khalid Abu Bakar, and Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman.

Hishammuddin later wrote on Twitter that the Sultan had requested that the prince be treated equally as others while on duty and not be accorded any special preference.

Hishammuddin tweeted: “Tuanku titah no special privileges 4 tg jalil. on merit- kagum” (The Sultan said there will be no special privileges for Tunku (Abdul) Jalil (but) on merit. (I am) impressed.