Police Inspector Muhd Aidil Ja’afar became an Internet sensation, thanks to his rendition of Malaysia Baru

Cop hits the right note with netizens, amasses fans with viralled Malaysia Baru rendition

Mohamad Azim Fitri Abd Aziz
New Straits Times24 August 2018



KUANTAN: Police Inspector  became an Internet sensation, thanks to his vocal prowess which hit the right note with netizens who admired his rendition of Malaysia Baru recorded in a video recently. His on-screen charm might also have a role in it, as he delivered a few lines from the song popularised by Aziz Jaafar in 1963. “Andai hidup tak punya cinta (if there is no love in life); pada bangsa mahupun wanita (towards the nation or the women); hidup tak punya ertinya; (there will be no meaning to life); kenikmatan tidak dirasa (and there will be no joy),” the song lyrics loosely translated. The 49-second video, which was part of the #PDRMMerdekaChallenge, ended with Aidil delivering a short speech and catchphrase of this year’s Merdeka theme, Sayangi Malaysiaku, viewed over 92,000 times on social media. The 32-year-old investigating officer attached to Pahang police Commercial Crime Department said the video was recorded on Sunday to fulfil a request by the police Corporate Communications unit in conjunction with this year’s National Day celebration. The video was uploaded to the force’s Facebook page on Monday and has since been viewed and shared by many people. “The corporate communication unit contacted me and asked if I could do it (video), so I only did my best.





Police Inspector Muhd Aidil Ja’afar became an Internet sensation, thanks to his vocal prowess which hit the right note with netizens who admired his rendition of Malaysia Baru recorded in a video recently. Pic by NSTP/ZULKEPLI OSMAN

“I don’t have the slightest intention to gain popularity through the video. I merely wanted to share advice and love for the country (with other Malaysians). “As a police officer and government staff, I see this as a platform for me to be a role model and display positive values to others. With Facebook and Instagram, I am able to convey my messages faster compared to other medium,” said the father of two from Ipoh, Perak, when met at the Pahang police headquarters today. At Press time, the video received 2,200 likes and 797 shares. In the video, Muhd Aidil also called on Malaysians to instill their love for the country and appreciate the meaning of independence so that the society can live in peace for years to come. #PDRMMerdekaChallenge was an initiative by the police that encouraged its staff to submit a Merdeka Day video that would be shared on the social media. Muhd Aidil, who has 22,000 Instagram followers, hoped to share positive matters with the public especially in educating people to be more cautious about modus operandi of criminals. He was previously an assistant lecturer at a private university before joining the force 2013. “Apart from my mother’s words of encouragement, I decided to join the police due to my nature of seeking new adventures. Policemen are known for their high discipline and I like to explore and challenge myself in different fields,” said the holder of Mathematics bachelor’s degree from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM). © New Straits Times Press