Mohammed Hanif Omar

In this Malay name, there is no surname or family name. The name Omar is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by their given name, Mohammed Hanif. The word "bin" or "binti"/"binte" means 'son of' or 'daughter of', respectively.

Mohammed Hanif bin Omar (Jawi: محمد حنيف بن عمر; 16 January 1939 – 20 April 2024) was a Malaysian police officer who served as the 4th Inspector-General of Royal Malaysia Police from June 1974 to January 1994. Assuming office at the age of 35, he was the youngest police officer appointed to the top post. He was also the longest-serving Inspector General of Police for 20 years.

Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Mohammed Hanif Omar SSM PMN SPMJ SPSN DSA SIMP SPNS SSSA SPTS SPMP DA DHMS KMN PPT BKT PKB PPA PPM PCh PM DUBC
محمد حنيف عمر
4th Inspector-General of Police (Malaysia)
In office 8 June 1974 – 15 January 1994
Monarchs	Abdul Halim Yahya Petra Ahmad Shah Iskandar Azlan Shah
Minister	Ghazali Shafie Musa Hitam Mahathir Mohamad
Preceded by	Abdul Rahman Hashim
Succeeded by	Abdul Rahim Mohd Noor
Personal details
Born	(1939-01-16)16 January 1939 Teluk Intan, Perak, Federated Malay States, British Malaya (now Malaysia)
Died	20 April 2024(2024-04-20) (aged 85) Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
Resting place	Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery, Kuala Lumpur
Spouse	Hamidah Abdul Hamid
Children	5
Alma mater	University of Buckingham University of Malaya, Singapore

Born in Teluk Intan, Perak on 16 January 1939,^[1] Hanif Omar became the Malacca Police Chief on 7 September 1970 and later the Selangor Police Chief on 6 December 1971. He was appointed the Deputy Inspector General of Police on 1 February 1973.

Hanif died on 20 April 2024, at the age of 85.^[2][3][4] He was buried at Bukit Kiara Muslim Cemetery in Kuala Lumpur.^[5][6]

Police career

• Central Malacca Investigating Officer – April 1960

• Assistant Jasin District Police Chief, Malacca – 20 November 1960

• Assistant Officer in Charge of Criminal Investigation (South) Pahang – 2 December 1960

• Special Branch Staff Officer, Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur – 16 January 1962

• Selangor Special Branch Staff Officer – 8 August 1966

• Ipoh District Police Chief, Perak – 20 July 1967

• Chief of Staff (Police) of the National Operations Council – 18 May 1969

• Head of Selangor Special Branch – 20 December 1969

• Malacca Police Chief – 7 September 1970

• Selangor Police Chief – 6 December 1971

• Director of Special Branch – 31 January 1973

• Deputy Inspector General of Police – 1 February 1973

• Inspector General of Police – from 8 June 1974 to 15 January 1994

During his tenure as Inspector General of Police, he founded the elite counterterrorist unit, Special Actions Unit on 1 January 1975. He also was in command of rescue operations in the 1975 AIA building hostage crisis in August 1975. In addition, he also renamed Bluff Road Police Station to Royal Malaysia Police Headquarters, Bukit Aman on 25 March 1975. On 8 June 1976, Hanif announced all police recruits would serve in Police Field Force before being assigned to other units. This was to ensure that all young policemen would be able to tackle any emergency situation once they were equipped with jungle training.^[7] Hanif also directed all state police chiefs to review security, particularly fire prevention measures in all highrise building throughout nationwide on 28 November 1992.^[8]

Honours

Honours of Malaysia

• Malaysia :
  • Grand Commander of the Order of Loyalty to the Crown of Malaysia (SSM) – Tun (1993)^[9][10]
  • Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (PMN) – Tan Sri (1976)^[11]
  • Officer of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (KMN) (1970)^[12]
  • Recipient of the Active Service Medal (PKB)
  • Recipient of the General Service Medal (PPA)
  • Recipient of the Malaysian Commemorative Medal (Silver) (PPM)
• Johor :
  • Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Crown of Johor (SPMJ) – Dato' (1980)^[1]
• Kedah :
  • Knight Commander of the Order of Loyalty to Sultan Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah (DHMS) – Dato' Paduka (1990)^[13]
• Malacca :
  • Recipient of the Commendable Service Star (BKT)
• Negeri Sembilan :
  • Knight Grand Commander of the Order of Loyalty to Negeri Sembilan (SPNS) – Dato' Seri Utama (1992)^[14]
• Pahang :
  • Grand Knight of the Order of the Crown of Pahang (SIMP) – formerly Dato', now Dato' Indera (1981)^[15]
• Perak :
  • Ordinary Class of the Perak Family Order of Sultan Nazrin Shah (SPSN) – Dato' Seri DiRaja (2016)^[16][17]
  • Grand Knight of the Azlanii Royal Family Order (DSA) – Dato' Seri (2009)^[18]
  • Knight Grand Commander of the Order of Taming Sari (SPTS) – Dato' Seri Panglima (1978)^[19]
  • Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Perak State Crown (SPMP) – Dato' Seri (1974)^[20]
  • Recipient of the Distinguished Conduct Medal (PPT) (1969)^[21]
• Sarawak :
  • Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of Hornbill Sarawak (DA) – Datuk Amar (1993)^[22][23]
• Selangor :
  • Knight Grand Companion of the Order of Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah (SSSA) – Dato' Seri (1992)^[24]
  • Recipient of the Sultan Salahuddin Silver Jubilee Medal

Foreign Honours

• Indonesia :
  • First Class (Utama) of the Star of Bhayangkara
• Singapore :
  • Recipient of the Darjah Utama Bakti Cemerlang (DUBC) (1993)^[25]
• Thailand :
  • Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the White Elephant (PCh) (1992)^[26]
  • Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Thailand (PM) (1989)^[27]