Special Actions Unit (Malaysia)

Special Actions Unit
Unit Tindakhas
The crest of the Special Actions Unit
Active	1 January 1975–present; 42 years
Country	Malaysia
Branch	Royal Malaysian Police
Type	Special Operations Force, SWAT
Role	Intelligence Gathering, Direct Action, Special Weapons And Tactics, Counter Terrorism, VIP protections, Urban Warfare
Size	Classified
Part of	Pasukan Gerakan Khas National Special Operations Force
Garrison/HQ	Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur
Nickname(s)	SWAT Malaysia (English: Malaysian SWAT)
Motto(s)	"Tangkas Banteras Ganas" (English: Quick to Overcome Terror)
Colour of Beret	Maroon
Anniversaries	October 20
Engagements	Pudu Prison siege Operation Astute Arrest of Mas Selamat Kastari UNMIT Lahad Datu standoff
Commanders
Current commander	SAC Datuk Hazani Ghazali
Notable commanders	SAC Dato' Meor Chek Hussien Mahayuddin
Insignia
Royal Malaysian Police Parachute Wing Insignia

The Special Actions Unit (Malay: Unit Tindakhas; UTK, Jawi: اونيت تيندق خاص) commonly known as UTK, is an urban area counter-terrorism, hostage rescue and special operations police unit of the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP).^[1] The unit is headquartered in Royal Malaysian Police Headquarter Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur and together with 69 Commando (Malay: 69 Komando), they are part of Pasukan Gerakan Khas (English: Police SOCOM).

This unit performs as a high-level national SWAT team and the unit's men also undertake undercover missions. UTK operators are specially trained to intervene in high-risk events like hostage and barricade situations by hostile forces, especially terrorists and/or criminals. UTK is the Malaysian most experience unit in dealing with counter-terrorism in urban areas.^[2]

History

Founded on 1 January 1975, UTK is the brainchild of then Inspector-General of Police Tun Hanif Omar.^[3] They were also deployed in the first mission during the Japanese Red Army (Japanese: 日本赤軍; Nihon Sekigun) hostage incident on 5 August 1975 when the terrorists held approximately 50 civilians including members of the US consulate and the Swedish chargé d'affaires as hostages within the AIA building housing several embassies in Kuala Lumpur, two years after the massacre of Israeli hostages in Munich, West Germany by the Palestinian Black September army group in 1973. The terrorists won the release of five imprisoned comrades and flew with them to Libya.

Similar to 69 Commando (VAT 69), the UTK were also trained by the British 22 Special Air Service (22 SAS) but they operate in a very different tactical atmosphere as compared by US Capitol Police SWAT units. UTK were also involved with the Grup Gerak Khas (Malaysian Army Special Forces) to manage security in the 1998 Commonwealth Games.

Merger in Pasukan Gerakan Khas

On 20 October 1997, the Royal Malaysia Police reorganised and setting back a VAT 69 and UTK co-ordinate them into one special operation command known as Pasukan Gerakan Khas (PGK) (English: Special Operations Command; SOCOM), launched by then Prime Minister, Mahathir Muhammad and then Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Rahim Noor.^[4]

Although amalgamated into one directorate, they are essentially still two separate entities operating in two distinct operational environments.

Functions

UTK roles are believed to include:

• Intelligence collection in deep reconnaissance missions and warfare.
• Special operations to support the RMP Special Branch in combating subversive organisations or terrorist activities.
• Counter Terrorism operations inside Malaysian territory in conjunction with armed forces.
• Law enforcement operations in dealing with armed criminals inside Malaysian territory.
• Protection of senior Malaysian dignitaries, ministers and VIPs.
• Support in term of technique and training to other RMP Elite units; STAFOC, STING and STAGG

Identities

Former Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Jamil Johari put on the maroon beret to a policeman who pass the UTK Selection.

Maroon berets

UTK operators wear bordeaux shades of maroon beret which different from Malaysian Army 10 Paratrooper Brigade's beret. The maroon beret symbolised the UTK as a special unit.

On 14 November 2006, for the first time in the history of Royal Malaysian Police, the maroon and sand coloured berets of PGK were honoured as 'Royal Berets' by Yang Dipertuan Agong Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Syed Putera Jamalullail, the then King of Malaysia.

Parachute Wings

It identifies the abilities of parachutist, airborne unit and air assault operations. The parachute wings are mostly worn by operators from Pasukan Gerakan Khas and can only be worn after they passes the Basic Tactical Parachuting Course (Malay: Kursus Asas Payung Terjun Tektikal).

UTK Insignia

UTK badge gets its influence from British Special Air Service badge and Malayan Scouts (now 22 SAS) badge as UTK were trained by the SAS.

Motto

Tangkas Banteras Ganas (English: Quick to Overcome Terror)

Organisation

Four UTK operatives on standby. They are armed with MP5-Ns equipped with Aimpoint CompM2 Sight and Insight Technology flashlight.

Previously separate entities, both the VAT 69 and the UTK were amalgamated into the PGK Command on 20 October 1997, when it was launched by the 5th Inspector General of Police, Tan Sri Rahim Noor. However, the VAT 69 and the UTK are still operationing as separate units. The UTK is now officially known as Pasukan Gerakan Khas Detachment A and VAT 69 has been deputised to Pasukan Gerakan Khas Detachment B.

Based at the Royal Malaysia Police Headquarters in Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur, the PGK is under the direct command of the RMP's Internal and Public Security (Malay: Keselamatan Dalam Negeri dan Ketenteraman Awam) Director. The unit commander holds the rank of Senior Assistant Commissioner (SAC) and is the Deputy Director of the Internal and Public Security Branch.

With the growing threat of terrorism since the 11 September attacks, this unit has increasingly adapted itself to conduct counter-terrorism duties.^[5] With the aim of creating teams that are capable of dealing with a broad range of operations (especially counter-terrorism operations), the PGK small patrol team consist of six to ten operatives led by officers ranked from Police Inspector to Superintendent of Police with different expertise such as an attack units, snipers, EOD experts, communications experts and field medics. The PGK has also forged closer relations with the special forces of the Malaysian Armed Forces, including the 10 Paratrooper Brigade, Grup Gerak Khas, PASKAL and PASKAU, so as to enable them to more effectively enforce security within Malaysia's borders.

Roles

UTK operators practice storming a ship during a PGK exercise.

UTK has a variety of roles in addition to helping other branch's duties in large and serious cases.^[6] However, UTK is tasked in four main roles which is:

1. Fighting urban guerrillas, terrorist groups, groups of subversive and extremist organizations.
2. Assist the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in major criminal cases.
3. Conducting safety protection to local VIPs and foreign visitors if may be deemed necessary.
4. Other responsibilities as directed by the Inspector-General of Police and the Deputy Inspector-General of Police.

The UTK tactics and organisation are primarily influenced by the Germany GSG-9 and American Special Activities Division but with a difference; UTK operatives operate mostly in plain-clothes and also perform undercover missions. With approximately 300 members, the UTK is deployed in cases of hostage taking, kidnapping, terrorism and extortion. The group may also be used to secure locations, neutralise targets, track down fugitives and sometimes conduct sniper operations and escorting and protecting top leaders and VVIPs.^[7][8] UTK members are equipped for Urban Operations.^[9]

In 2014, RMP establishes new elite units (STAFOC, STING and STAGG). UTK and VAT 69 is given another role which is to support these three new units in term of training and technical capabilities.^[10]

Recruitment, selection and training

Several UTK operatives moving during a close quarters combat drill at the killing house. The first operative is equipped with a tactical shield.

All members of the Malaysian police forces services with two years of service can enter UTK Selections. Depending on the department's policy, officers generally have to serve a minimum tenure within the department before being able to apply for a specialist section such as VAT 69 & UTK. This tenure requirement is based on the fact that PGK officers are still law enforcement officers and must have a thorough knowledge of department policies and procedures. To be eligible to join the PGK Special Forces, one must be younger than 30 years old and have a good health record.

Prospective trainees are expected to exceed the minimum requirements of the Physical Screening Test (PST), which requires that trainees must be able to:

1. Run 3.2 km in 11 minutes or less
2. Swim freestyle for at least 8–10 laps
3. Do at least 9–13 chin-ups
4. Do at least 30 sit-ups
5. Do at least 60 push-ups
6. Do at least 30 squat thrusts

UTK Basic Course

In the UTK selection phase, only twenty from more than a hundred police applicants are selected annually. Candidates need to pass 14 days UTK pre-selection in Kuala Lumpur before the real course in Ulu Kinta, Perak and Maktab Teknik PDRM (MTPDRM) (English: RMP Technical College), Bakri, Muar, Johor. The UTK Basic Course last for three months training period which includes thirteen weeks of basic training and nine weeks of advanced training. This course is open to women.

The main difference between UTK Selections and the Basic 69 Commando Course is the UTK candidate does not need to enter Kursus Asas Pasukan Gerakan Am (PGA) (English: General Operations Force (GOF) Basic Course) which take another three months. This is because of UTK operates in an urban environment while VAT 69 more into jungle operations.

Among the training in UTK Selection is:

1. Fitness Training (Camp Phase)
2. Physical and Mental Training (Jungle Phase)
3. Basic Rope Training
4. Basic First Aid Training
5. Unarmed Combat Training (Malay: Latihan Tempur Jarak Dekat)
6. Marksmanship
7. Basic CQB
8. Basic Hostage Rescue (Urban, Aircraft and Train)

In 2016, from 320 applicants, only 18 police personnel passed the selection.^[11] One of them is a women senior officer.

Advance Training

To accomplish its varied mission profiles, the PGK ensures that its members are well trained in the required aspects of special operations. These include:-

Insertion Techniques

1. HALO/HAHO
2. Fast roping techniques
3. Helo casting
4. Abseiling
5. Combat diving

Combat Techniques

UTK officers riding the Honda ST1300 escorted the VVIP vehicles out to the exit gate of Parliament Square after the 52nd Independence Day Parade on 31 August 2009.

1. Close Quarters Combat – CQC
2. Counter-insurgency
3. Unconventional warfare
4. Sabotage
5. Close VIP protection
6. Vehicular assault
7. Unarmed combat
8. Knife combat
9. Marksmanship
10. Booby-trap defusal
11. Underwater demolitions

Intelligence Gathering

1. Intelligence
2. Counterintelligence
3. Special reconnaissance
4. Long-range Combat Patrol

Task Oriented

A UTK operator rappels on a building.

1. Aircraft Hijackings
2. Car stops
3. Combat, Search and Rescue (CSAR)
4. Coordinate multi-location warrant service
5. Dignitary protection
6. Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD)
7. Foreign language
8. Fugitive tracking (in rural environments)
9. Hazmat Disposal^[12]
10. High risk arrests (armed and dangerous subjects)
11. Hostage rescue (HR)
12. K9 Handling^[12]
13. Operations in WMD environments
14. Site surveys for high visibility events
15. Specialized sniper operations
16. Stronghold assaults (structures requiring specialised breaching equipment that local law enforcement might not have access to)
17. Tubular assaults (aircraft, trains, buses, etc.)

The PGK is known to conduct joint training exercises and participate in exchange programs with Commonwealth special units such as the Australian SAS, British SAS, New Zealand SAS and Singapore Special Tactics and Rescue. The PGK routinely trains with neighbouring country tactical teams such as the Indonesian Mobile Brigade and Thailand Border Patrol Police. Occasionally the PGK trains with FBI Hostage Rescue Team, French GIGN and RAID, German GSG 9,^[13] Italian NOCS, Spanish G.E.O, US Delta Force, US Green Berets, US Army Special Operations Command Pacific Unit (SOCPAC), Russian Special Rapid Response Unit^[13] and other international units.

On 10 December 2003, the then Inspector General of Police, Tan Sri Mohd Bakri Haji Omar, launched the training programme between the USSOCPAC and the 69th PGK at the General Operations Force Training Center in Ulu Kinta, Perak. The team of SOCPAC were to conduct joint exercise with the PGK, under codename Advance Vector Balance Mint for a duration of 2 weeks.^[14] Only 42 out of the 194 participants completed the inaugural programme.

PGK equipment

UTK operators with new Battle Dress Uniforms on standby at the Centre Brigade of General Operations Force Base, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. They arms with an American-made FERFRANS SOAR compact carbines and the Remington M870 Police Magnum.

PGK teams use equipment designed for a variety of specialist situations. The particular pieces of equipment vary from unit to unit, but there are some consistent trends in what they wear and use. Much of their equipment is indistinguishable from that supplied to the military, not least because much of it is military surplus

Weapons

As a special forces unit, the PGK is equipped with a wide variety of high class weapons and support equipment commonly associated with counter-terrorism operations, the most common weapons include submachine guns, assault rifles, shotguns, machineguns and sniper rifles.^[12]

Semi-automatic pistols are the most popular sidearms and the majority of the officers use various 9 mm pistols. Principal handguns include:

•  USA: Colt 1911A1, .45 ACP
•  Austria: Glock pistol series (especially the Glock 17,^[12] Glock 18, Glock 26, Glock 34), 9 mm
•  Germany: Heckler & Koch USP series,^[12][12] 9 mm
•   Switzerland: SIG Sauer P2022, 9 mm
•  USA: STI Grandmaster, 9 mm
•  USA: STI Tactical-5.0, 9 mm
•  Germany: HK Mk23 Mod 0,.^[12] 45 ACP

Various shotguns used by PGK units include:

•  Italy: Benelli M3 Super 90
•  Italy: Franchi SPAS-12^[12]
•  USA: Remington M870 Police Magnum^[12]
•  USA: Remington 1100^[12]

Common submachine guns used by all PGK teams include:

•  Czech Republic: CZ Scorpion Evo 3, 9 mm
•  Germany: Heckler & Koch MP5 series (especially the MP5A5, MP5-N, MP5K-A4 and MP5SD6),^[12] 9 mm
•  Germany: HK UMP, 9 mm
•  Germany: Heckler & Koch MP7A1 PDW,^[15] 4.6 mm

Common carbines include:

•  USA: Colt M4A1,^[12] 5.56 mm
•  USA: Colt APC, 5.56 mm
•  USA: FN SCAR-H, 7.62 mm
•  Germany: HK 416 series (especially the D10RS and D14.5RS), 5.56 mm
•  Germany: HK G36C,^[12] 5.56mm
•  Austria: Steyr AUG-A3, 5.56 mm
•  USA/ Philippines: Special Operations Assault Rifle, 5.56 mm

Common sniper rifles used are:

•  UK: Accuracy International PM, .308 Win
•  UK: Accuracy International AX338, .338 LM
•  UK: Accuracy International AWSM, .338 LM
•  USA: Barrett M82, 12.7 mm
•  Germany: HK PSG-1A1,^[12] 7.62 mm
•  USA: Remington 700P,^[12] 7.62 mm

The 69 Comandos used the common machine guns include:

•  USA: M60 machine gun, 7.62 mm

Various grenade launchers used by PGK units include:

•  USA: M79 grenade launcher, 40 mm
•  USA: M203 grenade launcher, 40 mm

Less lethal weapons is:

•  USA: Bean bag rounds
•  USA: M84 Flashbang
•  USA: Pepper spray
•  USA: Pepper-spray projectile
•  USA: Taser X26 (electroshock weapon)

Notes

¹The Bean Bag shell is typically fired from a shotgun, and is used by police and military forces, mainly in the United States to disperse the type of riot which is not able to be controlled with tear gas weapon. When fired, the bean bag (or BB) made from rubber and plastic is expelled at around 70–90 meters/second; it spreads out in flight and distributes its impact over about 6 centimetres² of the target. It is designed to deliver a blow that will cause minimum long-term trauma and no penetration but will result in a muscle spasm or other reaction to briefly render a violent suspect immobile.

Tactical Vehicles

UTK operators using a Ford Explorer Sport Trac type as a Rapid Intervention Vehicle for vehicular assault.

As a special operations unit, the PGK employs a number of specialised vehicles to accomplish its missions. These include the Commando V-150D and the GKN Sankey AT105 armoured personnel carriers equipped with M60s as assault vehicles in urban and jungle terrain as well as modified police MPV (Mobile Patrol Vehicles), vans, trucks, 4WD and buses for use as tactical vehicles. PGK also employs RHIB assault boats, jet-skis and Marine Subskimmer (DPV) in maritime missions and amphibious insertions.

For its airborne operations, PGK utilises the C-130 Hercules, Cessna 206G, Cessna 208 Caravan 1 and Pilatus Porter PC-6 aircraft as well as the E-Squirrel AS-355 F2/AS-355N helicopter.

Developments and Acquisitions

UTK Operators will be sent to the overseas training centre to sharpen their skills.^[16]

In 2017, Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato' Seri Najib Razak has announced to relocate UTK Headquarter from Bukit Aman to Semenyih, Selangor.^[17] The new base will cost 100 million Ringgit.

Killed in the line of duty

Missions

The arrest of Mas Selamat

Two operatives of UTK including one female operator armed with MP5-N submachineguns during the CQC drill.

In February 2008, a major leader of the Singapore Jemaah Islamiah (JI), Mas Selamat escaped from the Whitley Road Detention Center, a detention centre of the most stringent in Southeast Asia. A few months later, he was found hiding in a village house in Kampung Tawakal, Skudai, 40km from the city of Johor Bahru.

With surveillance and planning with tactical raids were so neat, on 1 April 2009 06:00 AM, a team of anti-terrorist unit, UTK were sent to help members of the Special Branch apprehend the leader of the militants in the home village. UTK outflank every corner of the house when Mas Selamat was sleeping.

According to witnesses the incident, Mohd Saat Marjo, 57, who was a neighbour next door is telling that a masked team armed with automatic weapons along with members of the Special Branch in plainclothes stormed the house through two gates which are broken as soon as Mas Selamat refused to come out to surrender even called by the police. The raid and siege of UTK and Special Branch is perfectly done, which led Mas Selamat failed to escape until he was caught. He was handcuffed and his face is covered with dark blue cloth before being taken out.^[18] Regular members of JI, Abdul Matin Anol Rahmat and Johar Hassan also was arrested there.^[19] Police also seized a number of JI's documents and confidential planning information and send Bomb Disposal Unit to ensure that the house is free of any explosives. However, the involvement of UTK in the operation is not made public because of the high level of secrecy. The arrest was more directed to the Special Branch unit.

Publicly known missions

• October 1985: Special Actions Unit (UTK) was involved in hostage rescue operations including one doctor and one medical assistant by six armed convicts led by Jimmy Chua in Pudu Jail, Kuala Lumpur. Six days later, hostages were successfully rescued, while Jimmy was captured and was sentenced to death.

• 29 June 1993: UTK stormed a hiding place of P. Kalimuthu or Bentong Kali at Medan Damasara, Selangor. In the shoot-out with the police, the Most-Wanted Criminal was successfully killed.
• 1998: The Pasukan Gerakan Khas and the Grup Gerak Khas were deployed to provide security and were on standby for hostage rescue, close protection and counter-terrorism duties during the 1998 Commonwealth Games held at National Stadium, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur on 11 to 21 September 1998.^[20]
• 18 January 2000: Involved in an operation to arrest the Gang Steyr, the armed criminal group which was led by ex-special forces personnel named Mohd Hizan Jaafar, along with 5 men after they robbed a bank in Sri Serdang Road, Selangor. During the operation, two criminals including Mohd Hizan and Abu Hasan were killed at Melayu Majidee Village and two more were killed in a shoot-out with the police at Tol Plaza Kempas, Johor Bahru and recovered 4 Steyr AUG rifles, Smith & Wesson .22 handgun, one Remington shotgun, 85 rounds of 5.56 mm bullets, 3 rounds .22 bullets, a few bullet shells and found RM291,000. The police also launched an operation to hunt two other members of the gang.^[21]
• 2001: Arrested two Jemaah Islamiyah suspect terrorists which in the list of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Yazid Sufaat and Suhaimi Mokhtar and detained at the Kamunting Detention Center under the Internal Security Act (ISA) 1960 related to involvement with the activities of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and al-Qaeda other 11 September attacks and Bali bombings.^[22][23]
• 2002: Arrested six Jemaah Islamiyah suspect terrorists, Dr Abdullah Daud, Shamsuddin Sulaiman, Mat Shah Mohd Satray, Abdul Murad Sudin, Zaini Zakaria and Zainun Rashid.^[22]

• 27 September 2002: Hunted downed Gang M16, the then Most-Wanted-Criminals of Malaysia for armed robbery at the Bank of Tokyo in 1985, 16 other armed robberies in jewellery shops and pawn shops, carting away loot which amounted to RM21.28 million. It was reported that all the members of this group were Chinese and the mastermind of this group was one Elvis Keh Jiang Long a.k.a. Ah Po, the ex-Singaporean National Service personnel ( Singaporean Army), was an expert in various firearms and he was responsible for training the group for the robberies. During the gunfighting with the UTK in Batu 5, Jalan Seremban-Mantin, near the Galla Recreational Park, Mantin, Negeri Sembilan, two of the Gang M16 members, identified as Sunny Chai @ Sum Wing Chang and his righthand man, known as Hew Yau, were shot dead. Another gang member, Chang Kew Yin, managed to escape. One UTK officer was wounded. Security forces recovered an M16 rifle with two rounds of ammunition, a Colt semi-automatic handgun with 16 rounds of ammunition, a Smith & Wesson revolver and three ski-masks from the suspects' vehicles. At 28, 2 December am, Chang was gunned down in the ensuing shootout at Jalan Keris, Taman Sri Tebrau, Johor Bahru and security forces recovered a China-made Norinco pistol with three rounds of ammunition from Chang's body. Federal CID Director, Datuk Salleh Mat Som (late), said the police was always hunting for the Gang M16 members who were still at large, including sending their officers to Singapore and Thailand to track Keh down and also requested the assistance of the Australian police to locate another gang member, Hew Soon Loong @ Hong Kong Chai, who was believed to have fled to the country.^[24][25]
• 2003: Arrested six Jemaah Islamiyah suspect terrorists, Mohd Khaider Kadran (JI leader), Wan Amin Wan Hamat, Sulaiman Suramin, Sufian Salih, Ahmad Muaz Al Bakry and Hasim Talib.^[22]
• 16 October 2003/17 October 2003: Involved in VVIP protection of the Islamic leaders during the 10th Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in Putrajaya.
• 2004: Arrested three Indonesian National Jemaah Islamiyah suspect terrorists, Zakaria Samad, Ahmad Zakaria and Terhamid Dahalan.
• 2004: Arrested three Indonesian National Jemaah Islamiyah suspect terrorists, Mahfudi Saifuddin, Mulyadi and Arifin related to involved with the activities of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) other Bali bombings in 2004.
• 2005: Undertook VVIP escort missions to protect ex-Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad when he visited Johor.
• 2006: Deployed as part of the United Nations (U.N.) INTERFET to support the Operation Astute. It consisted of Malaysian U.N. 10 Paratrooper Brigade, Grup Gerak Khas, Australian and New Zealand U.N Armed Forces in Timor Leste.^[26]
• 2007: Arrested four alleged Jemaah Islamiyah involvements, Zulkifli Marzuki, Mohd Nasir Ismail, Ahmad Kamil Hanafiah and Muhd Amir Hanafiah.^[22]

• 16 July 2008: Arrested the PKR de facto leader, Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim in front of his house at Bukit Segambut in the twillight hours, similar to what happened in 1998, for investigations under Section 377C of the Penal Code for alleged "carnal intercourse against the order of nature" with his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan. However, CID director Commissioner Dato' Mohd Bakri Zinin said that the arrest was not carried out by the UTK, but by the Bukit Aman's Serious Crimes Division (possibly by the Unit Tindakan Cepat, UTC).^[27]

An UTK officer using a battering ram to performing a door breaching during the CQC drill.

• 2009: In February 2008, a Singaporean Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) leader, Mas Selamat Kastari escaped from Whitley Detention Center, the tightest detention centre in Singapore. A few months later, he was found to be hiding at a village house in Kampung Tawakal, Skudai, 40 km from Johor Bahru. Following intelligence sharing with the police forces of Indonesia and Singapore and tidying of tactical planning, in the dawn of 1 April 2009 at 06:00 am, a team from UTK counter-terrorist unit was deployed to assist police Special Branch agents recapture the militant leader in the village house.
• 2010: Intercepted the Sultan of Kelantan's motorcade (escorts) 30m outside of the Kelantan Royal Palace as they were heading for the Sultan Ismail Petra Airport to depart for Singapore pending further treatment at Mount Elizabeth Hospital. The team then brought the Sultan, himself not willingly, to the nearby hospital (HUSM) somewhere 200m from the Palace.^[28]
• 8 July 2011: Deployed in a hostage rescue mission in which a preschool located at Sungai Abong Park, Sakeh Street near Muar in southern Johore state was taken by a 40-year-old man. The man named Loi Hui Chung, who was suspected to be a drug addict and mentally-deranged, was armed with a hammer and a machete and he threatened to kill the hostages if his demand was not met. The siege ended at exactly 1541 GMT after UTK members stormed the building with tear gas and shot the suspect. He was in a critical condition with a head wound and died later at the Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital at 2115 GMT.^[29][30][31]
• 7 February 2013: Arrested a former Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee Yazid Sufaat and two of his friends, including a women, in the Klang Valley, Selangor in separate operations. The unit nabbed Yazid and Mohd Hilmi Hasim at a canteen in the Jalan Duta court complex whilst the woman, Halimah Hussin, was picked up from her house in Kajang. They became the first few to be arrested under the new Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA) which replaced the ISA. They were alleged to have been promoting terrorism, and had allegedly been linked to terrorist activities in Syria.^[32][33][34]
• 2013: Deployed in Lahad Datu, Sabah during the Lahad Datu conflict. The 69 Commando members were involved in hunting down a terrorist group, numbering approximately 200 in strength, from the self-styled "Royal Security Forces of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo," while UTK members were deployed in urban and populated areas to defend them. The commandos were the main assault team during the early stage of the conflict. Two officers were gunned down and three more wounded in an unexpected "white flag" ambush by the Sulu terrorists, while 12 of the terrorists were shot to death in retaliation and three other terrorists were fatally wounded.^[35]

Controversy

In October 2006, an officer and two members of the UTK was arrested on suspicion of conspiring with Abdul Razak Baginda in the murder of a woman from Mongolia. She was killed before her body then blown up with C4 explosives in October 2006 in Shah Alam, Selangor.

In popular culture

'Unit Tindakhas' of the Royal Malaysian Police is usually misspelled by the media as 'Unit Tindak Khas' and 'Unit Tindakan Khas' which all have the same meaning.

Books, Televisions and Movies.

• 1991: "Bayangan Maut", a movie starring Dato' Yusof Haslam dan Noorkumalasari. The movie shows UTK operatives in plainclothes armed with Colt M16 rifle.
• 1996: "Maria Mariana", a movie directed by Dato' Yusof Haslam. There is a hostage rescue scene involving UTK operatives.
• 1997-present: "Gerak Khas", a TV series by RTM and produced by Dato' Yusof Haslam, about a fictional UTK squad code name 'Gerak Khas' solving high-risk crimes throughout major cities in Malaysia. The Gerak Khas is the longest running TV series in Malaysia.
• 1999: "Entrapment", a movie starring Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta Jones. UTK operators act as SWAT Team during the chasing scene at Petronas Twin Tower.
• 2001: "Gerak Khas The Movie", an action movie by Dato' Yusof Haslam, about Gerak Khas TV series. The movie about Gerak Khas Squad stops pirate VCD and drugs selling activity in Kuala Lumpur.
• 2002: "Gerak Khas The Movie 2", a movies sequel to Gerak Khas The Movie. The movie shows UTK and VAT 69 operators conducting joint anti-drugs operations in Penang.
• 2004: "GK3", the third sequel for Gerak Khas The Movie. The movie shows UTK operators in plainclothes conducting undercover mission in Langkawi.
• 2011: "Wira Padang Pasir", a TV drama by Astro, about an ex-VAT 69 turn UTK operator now working as a Malaysian Embassy bodyguard in Cairo, Egypt.
• 2017: "J Revolusi", an action movies by Grand Brilliance and Infinitus Productions about conflict between a UTK officer, his sister; a Special Branch agents and theirs adoptive father; a UTK Commander.
• 2017: "Majalah 3 :Perisai Keamanan Bandar", a documentary by TV3 about UTK operations and training.

See also

References

Further reading

• Navaratnam, A. (2001). The Spear and the Kerambit: The Exploits of VAT 69, Malaysia's Elite Fighting Force, 1968–1989. Kuala Lumpur: Utusan Publications and Distributions. ISBN 967-61-1196-1. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pasukan Gerakan Khas.

• Berita Harian Online: VAT 69 digeruni komunis (In Malay language).