Malaysia’s top cop receives prestigious Singapore award
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Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam (left) presented the medal to Malaysia’s Inspector-General of Police Haji Mohd Khalid Haji Ismail on Aug 18.
PHOTO: INTERNAL SECURITY DEPARTMENT
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SINGAPORE - A senior Malaysian police officer was given the Meritorious Service Medal for playing an active and integral role in enhancing the strong relationship between the Malaysian Special Branch (MSB) and Singapore’s Internal Security Department (ISD).
Malaysia’s Inspector-General of Police Haji Mohd Khalid Haji Ismail was presented the medal by Singapore’s Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam at a ceremony at Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on the morning of Aug 18.
Datuk Seri Khalid was appointed director of the MSB in the Royal Malaysia Police on April 10, 2023. He assumed the position of Inspector-General of Police on June 23, 2025, said a statement from the ISD on Aug 18.
The conferment of the medal is a recognition of Mr Khalid’s instrumental role in enhancing the strong professional ties and cooperation between the MSB and ISD during his tenure as director, the ISD said in the statement.
The Meritorious Service Medal recognises, among other things, his contributions to the security of Malaysia, Singapore and the region, the statement said.
Under Mr Khalid’s leadership, the MSB and ISD maintained substantive bilateral engagements, intelligence exchanges and extensive cooperation in areas of mutual security interest, especially in the counter-terrorism domain, the ISD said.
“Close collaboration between the two services helped in disrupting the activities of pro-Islamic State in Iraq and Syria elements and other terror-linked entities in the region,” the ISD said.
In a Facebook post on the afternoon of Aug 18, Mr Shanmugam thanked Mr Khalid for his astute leadership.
“The enduring warm rapport between MSB and ISD is a testament to Datuk Seri Haji Mohd Khalid’s commitment to working closely with Singapore in areas of mutual security interest,” Mr Shanmugam said.
“It is through the hard work and tireless efforts of generations of MSB and ISD officers, that Singapore, Malaysia and the region have been kept safe,” he added.
Present at the investiture ceremony were guests from the Malaysian High Commission in Singapore as well as MHA officers.
