KUCHING, Sept 6 — Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Datuk Mohamad Zainal Abdullah, a native of Lawas, will replace Datuk Mancha Ata as the new Sarawak police commissioner following the latter’s retirement on September 29.
The appointment was confirmed by Zainal in a Facebook post yesterday afternoon.
“Alhamdullilah… It’s time to serve in my birthplace after nearly 30 years of journeying across Peninsular Malaysia (for studies and work).
“Thank you to the leadership for placing their trust in me to lead Sarawak, Insha’Allah,” he said in the post.
Currently, he serves as deputy director of investigation/law at the Bukit Aman Crime Investigation Department.
He alongside two other senior officers will be transferred to their new posts end of this month as part of a transfer exercise dated September 4. All three will be promoted to the rank of Commissioner of Police (CP).
In a separate Facebook post, former journalist Syahril A. Kadir, a close friend of Zainal, highlighted that with this appointment, Zainal will become the youngest police commissioner in Malaysian history at just 47-years-old.
Syahril also highlighted Zainal’s impressive academic background, which includes degrees in law and social administration from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) and Universiti Malaya (UM), as well as a master’s degrees in law and human resource management from UiTM and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), respectively.
“A native of Kampung Seberang Kedai in Lawas, Mohamad Zainal began his career in the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) as a senior criminal investigation officer at the Petaling Jaya district police headquarters.
“Over the years, he steadily rose through the ranks, having served twice as district police chief in Dang Wangi and in Perak Tengah respectively,” he added. — The Borneo Post
