-The Star filepic
PETALING JAYA: The contributions by former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tun Hanif Omar to the nation are immense, says Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (pic).
"I received the bleak news this morning on the passing of Allahyarham Tun Mohammed Hanif Omar, the fourth IGP.
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"Allahyarham was the longest serving IGP in Malaysia. His deeds and contributions to the country are both immense and so valuable," said Saifuddin Nasution on Saturday (April 20).
"Representing the whole Home Ministry family, I pass on our condolences to his family," he added.
Born in Teluk Intan, Perak, Hanif was the Melaka police chief in 1970 and then the Selangor police chief in 1971, before becoming the Deputy Inspector-General of Police on Feb 1, 1973.
Hanif was appointed as Malaysia's fourth IGP at the age of 35 on June 8, 1974 and remained at the post for 20 years until his retirement in Jan 15, 1994.
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He was the youngest and longest-serving leader of the Royal Malaysia Police, succeeding Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Hashim, who was assassinated by communists.
A year into his tenure as IGP, Hanif established the elite counter-terrorism unit, the Special Actions Unit (UTK), on Jan 1, 1975, and played a pivotal role in the rescue operation during the AIA building hostage crisis in August of the same year.
Among his notable contributions is the renaming of the Bluff Road Police Station to the PDRM headquarters, Bukit Aman, on March 25, 1975.
