KUALA LUMPUR: Retired Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar conducted the Police symphony band to the rendition of Frank Sinatra's My Way during his retirement ceremony today.
Emotion filled the air as the band rendered You Raise Me Up by Secret Garden. The vocalist couldn't contain his emotion. His singing was interrupted and he was seen wiping his tears halfway during the performance.
Khalid who was then sitting and watching the performance walked toward the singer and shook hands with him.
On the audience side, tears flowed freely among the attendees including media members.
Khalid, accompanied by his wife Puan Sri Imran ibrahim, arrived at the parade grounds at 4pm.
He inspected a guard of honour comprising about 1000-strong men in blue who were there to honour him in a special parade at the Police Training Centre grounds here.
Police dignitaries who were present to honour Khalid included the newly-minted IGP Datuk Seri Fuzi Harun, deputy IGP Tan Sri Noor Rashid Ibrahim, Federal police Internal Security and Public Orders Department director Datuk Seri Zulkifli Abdullah, and Pulapol commandant Senior Assistant Commissioner Samsudin Mat.
Khalid, who will turn 60 tomorrow (Sept 5), watched as various detachments such as K-9 unit, Air unit, Cavalry unit, VAT 69 unit, Special Tactical Force, and Digital Forensic Mobiles unit marched past him.
Farewell tune Auld Lang Syne rendered by the Police marching band reverberated as Khalid was ushered in a ceremonial vehicle to the guard post where he "clocked out" for the last time.
Recalling fond memories with the former IGP, former Pulapol commandant Datuk Zahari Mohd Yusoff, who shared the same platoon with Khalid, said personally, Khalid was a quiet but funny guy.
"In our platoon, only he could imitate the sergeant's voice. Sometimes he would imitate the sergeant's voice just to scare us," he said. Zahari and Khalid had reported into the force on Dec 5, 1976.
He said Khalid was a committed policeman even during the training days.
"He is a very humble man... Even when he was the IGP he still treats everybody the same and took care of retirees and squad-mates' welfare," he said.
Zahari said working with Khalid was easy as he accepted ideas from his subordinates.
Khalid, he said, also trusted his men in carrying out duties and did not look down on them.
Zahari said recently Khalid told them that he wanted to feel the same freedom other retirees felt once they left the police force.
"Even when he was offered (to extend) he did not want it. He wanted to feel what is it like to be a retiree like us, as we all look happy... So that is why he chose to retire.
"We told him when the time comes, then leave. I do not want people to mock him, say bad things about him like what is happening on the social media right now," he said.
Selangor police chief Datuk Mazlan Mansor who had been working with Khalid for about a decade said Khalid was an approachable leader and also a good decision maker.
"I have been working under his leadership since he was the Selangor police chief. There were a lot of issues and cases that we managed to solve during the period.
"As the IGP, he was a very good decision maker and we did not have any problem working with him as he was an approachable man and always ready to give advice," he said, adding that Khalid was a strict and firm leader.
Commenting on Fuzi's appointment as the new IGP, Mazlan said he believed that Fuzi would continue Khalid's legacy in bringing the force to the next level.
"I believe in Datuk Seri Fuzi's vast experience and leadership in leading the police force," he said.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
Photos Courtesy of PDRM Facebook
