Rewired crime fighter Datuk Meor Chek Hussien Mahayuddin has participated in and led a variety of operations throughout his distinguished career, whether it was battling communist insurgents or hardcore criminals, he told Sunday Star.
Meor Chek Hussien, who led the Special Action Unit (UTK, or Unit Tindakan Khas), shares his experiences in a career that spans more than three decades before he joined and eventually began leading the Retired Senior Police Officers Association of Malaysia.
The early days
Meor Chek Hussien was drawn to the police force after seeing a road show and hearing the song Polis Sedia Berkhidmat. He was also influenced by the atrocities committed by communist insurgents in his village, which was a hotspot for these insurgents.
He first tried to join the Royal Malaysia Police in 1964 but declined after his mother advised him not to do so due to the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation. He eventually joined the force in 1969, after which he trained at the Police College in Kuala Kubu Baru, Selangor.
After six months, he was posted at Bukit Aman Special Branch, remaining there until 1975 before being chosen to join the newly established UTK in 1975. The UTK underwent training for 12 weeks before Meor Chek Hussien was appointed its commander in 1992.
Meor Chek Hussien shares that the UTK conducted various operations, including stopping crime figures like Botak Chin, Bentong Kali, Mat Komando, and the Al-Maunah group. The unit was also involved in saving a VIP who was kidnapped and tracking down a married couple involved in an underground communist movement in Ipoh.
In 1999, he was appointed Kuala Lumpur police chief, where he faced several challenges, including crimes involving undocumented foreigners, drug addicts, and snatch thieves.
Hunting down Bentong Kali
Meor Chek Hussien describes P. Kalimuthu, or Bentong Kali, as a remorseless and ruthless criminal who was involved in several murders and other serious crimes. With his unit and the Criminal Investigation Department, they managed to bring down Bentong Kali in an operation codenamed “Ops Buncit.”
A team of UTK personnel raided his house in Damansara, Petaling Jaya, and in the ensuing clash, Bentong Kali was shot dead by a sniper. His death marked the end of his reign of terror, which had led to at least 17 murders.
Life after the PDRM
Meor Chek Hussien retired in 2001 and became active in the Retired Senior Police Officers Association of Malaysia (Respa).
He was eventually appointed president of Respa in 2021 and is responsible for looking out for the welfare of its members. Respa does not receive grants from the government and instead works towards collecting funds, such as introducing a business council and collaborating with companies to generate funds for the association.
By leveraging its members’ experience, Respa also contributes ideas to the authorities and the government to curb crimes today, including online scams. Meor Chek Hussien hopes that the public will remember the contribution and sacrifice of retired police personnel and officers, and treat them in accordance with their sacrifices and contributions to the country.
