Kor Polis Tentera DiRaja
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Kor Polis Tentera DiRaja is the Military Police branch of the Malaysian Army. Called "Redcaps" like their British cousins, Kor Polis Tentera DiRaja, more popularly called just "MPs", keep discipline within the Army ranks and ensure security at Malaysian Army Installations.
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[edit] History
At the end of world War II, Malaya was in a precarious situation. The civil police was in tatters and the 2 battalions of the Malay Regiment has been disbanded by the Japanese when Singapore fell in 1942 and not to be reformed until 1948.
When British sent Forces to Malaya at the end of World War II, Military Police units of the Indian Army played a major role in assisting the civil authorities enforcing peace and order in Malaya.
On 4 December 1950, during the early years on the Malayan Emergency, 9 Malay Regiment soldiers were chosen to form Malay Regiment Military Police Section and perform Provost duties within the regiment. They were stationed at Kem Segenting at Port Dickson.
On 13 November 1953, the Malay Regiment Military Police (enlarged from the previously one section strength) was transferred to the British Royal Military Police administration and transferred to Taiping, Perak, and the Military Police Company was formed, under the command of Captain Dillon White. Apart from performing provost duties, the Military Police Company assisted civil authorities in keeping public order.
The Military Police Company moved to Kuala Lumpur on 29 March 1957 and underwent a name change to the Federation Military Police. And in July 1957, the company was moved to Kem Imphal in Kuala Lumpur.
With the formation of Malaysia, the unit was called the Malaysian Military Police Corps. The Corps was bestowed the title "DiRaja" on 7 June 1997, by Tuanku Jaafar Tunku Abdul Rahman, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, hence the Corps is known as Kor Polis Tentera DiRaja.
[edit] Role
The peacetime role of Kor Polis Tentera DiRaja is to support and assist the Malaysian Army in training for war, and maintain discipline amongst military personnel.
In war, Kor Polis Tentera DiRaja provides tactical Military Police support to the Army in all phases of operations, enforcement of military law and codes of conduct, crime prevention and controlling the flow of refugees and displaced persons.
[edit] Organisation and Units
The Military Police Directorate at the Markas Tentera Darat (Army Headquarters) oversee development and coordinate activities of Kor Polis Tentera DiRaja. The Provost Marshall of Kor Polis Tentera DiRaja is a Brig. Jeneral.
On 1 January 1981, there were 4 Regiments in Kor Polis Tentera, with one Regiment an organic component to each of the Infantry divisions in the Malaysian Army. A Military Police Company is attached to each of the three Brigades of the Division.
- 4 Regiments – one Military Police Regiment for each of the 4 Infantry Divisions
- Military Police Company attached to each Brigade
- Independent Military Police Companies
[edit] Pusat Latihan Polis Tentera PULAPOT
Pusat Latihan Polis Tentera (Military Police School) is located in Kuala Lumpur. This is the Central Military Police Training Centre where soldiers are trained in Military Policing and Military Law.
[edit] Wira Merah
The Wira Merah is a popular motorcycle acrobatic stunt and demonstration team of the Kor Polis Tentera DiRaja, famed for their show at military tattoos in Malaysia. The team was formed in 1963 at Kem Imphal in Kuala Lumpur to display their exceptional riding skills at the military tattoo during the 1963 National Day celebrations. The team was founded by Pegawai Waran I Sabdin Othman and Pegawai Waran I Ungku Hakim Ungku Mohamad and used 350cc BSA motorcycles.
The military shows were suspended between 1964 and 1966 due to the Indonesian Confrontation, but were resumed in 1967, when the Wira Merah team was reactivated under the command of Leftenan Muda Clifford Baptist for a display at the 10th Merdeka celebration at Stadium Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur
The team has 40 members and holds about 48 shows a year, each of 30 to 40 minutes long. The act involves various acrobatic stunt on motorcycles including piling on 30 riders on one motorcycle. The Evel Knievel jump is the highlight of the Wira Merah show, involving a jump over human or vehicular obstacles. The jump record is over 17 to 18 Proton Iswara cars.
The team presently uses a total of 29 motorcycles, including 12 Moto Guzzis, 6 BSA, 5 Modenas Jaguh, 2 Trial Bikes, 2 Aprilias and 2 Suzukis. [1] [2]
