# Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM): Structure and Role

> A concise guide to the structure, ranks, jurisdiction and oversight mechanisms of the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), the centralised national police force under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

- Category: public-safety
- Language: en
- Status: published
- Updated: 2026-08-01
- Canonical: https://negaraku.md/en/public-safety/royal-malaysia-police-pdrm

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Stop at a roadblock, report a theft, or file a misconduct complaint — all of it ends at the door of a single body: the Royal Malaysia Police. Unlike many countries that split policing between state and federal forces, Malaysia gathers everything, from patrol police to intelligence, under one centralised chain of command.

## What establishes PDRM?

PDRM is incorporated under the **Police Act 1967 (Act 344)**. Section 3 provides that the force "shall … be employed in and throughout Malaysia" to maintain law and order, preserve the peace and security of the country, prevent and detect crime, apprehend and prosecute offenders, and collect security intelligence.

This makes PDRM a **national and centralised** force — its jurisdiction covers the whole of Malaysia including its territorial waters, not just a single state. Its headquarters is at **Bukit Aman**, Kuala Lumpur, and the force operates under the **Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN)**.

## Who holds command?

Section 4 of the Police Act 1967 places the force "under the command of an Inspector General" — the **Inspector General of Police (IGP)** — who must be a police officer and is "responsible to the Minister" for the control and direction of the force. A **Deputy Inspector General of Police** is appointed to act under his direction and may exercise the functions of the IGP in his absence.

The chain of leadership appointments — the IGP, the Deputy, the Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners — is provided for under Section 5. The general duties of each member are set out in Section 20: to obey the lawful orders of superior officers and to carry out the purposes of Section 3(3), including apprehending offenders, processing security intelligence and conducting prosecutions.

## How are its ranks structured?

PDRM has **18 rank levels** divided into two broad categories. The Police Act 1967 defines a *senior police officer* as a rank from IGP down to probationary Inspector, and a *junior police officer* from Sub-Inspector down to Corporal.

| Category | Rank (highest → lowest) |
|---|---|
| Senior Police Officer | Inspector General of Police (IGP) · Deputy Inspector General · Commissioner · Deputy Commissioner · Senior Assistant Commissioner · Assistant Commissioner · Superintendent · Deputy Superintendent · Assistant Superintendent · Inspector · Probationary Inspector |
| Junior Police Officer & Constable | Sub-Inspector · Sergeant Major · Sergeant · Corporal · Lance Corporal · Constable · Probationary Constable |

## What are its main departments?

At Bukit Aman, PDRM's work is distributed across **10 main departments**, each headed by a director holding the rank of Commissioner or equivalent.

| Department | Core function |
|---|---|
| Management Department | Administration, human resources and corporate affairs |
| Criminal Investigation Department (JSJ) | Criminal investigation and prosecution |
| Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (JSJN) | Drug-related offences |
| Commercial Crime Investigation Department (JSJK) | White-collar and commercial crime |
| Logistics and Technology Resource Department | Financial, logistics and technology support |
| Internal Security & Public Order Department (JKDNKA) | Operations wing, public order control |
| Special Branch | Intelligence and security affairs |
| Integrity and Standards Compliance Department (JIPS) | Internal integrity and complaints |
| Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department | Crime prevention and community safety |
| Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department | Enforcement of traffic laws |

## Who oversees the police?

In addition to internal discipline under the direction of the IGP, two statutory bodies oversee the conduct of enforcement personnel:

- **Independent Police Conduct Commission (IPCC)** — the body dedicated to PDRM under **Act 839 (2022)**. The Act received Royal Assent on 8 October 2022, was gazetted on 18 October 2022, came into force on **1 July 2023**, and the IPCC began operating on **1 November 2023**. It monitors, investigates and handles complaints of misconduct by PDRM members, and tables an annual report to Parliament.
- **Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC)** — established under **Act 700 (2009)**, gazetted 3 September 2009 and in force from **1 April 2011**. The EAIC has jurisdiction over **21 enforcement agencies** and may receive complaints, conduct investigations, and refer disciplinary or criminal cases to the relevant authorities.

## What's next

- File a misconduct complaint through the IPCC or EAIC portal, or the JIPS channel within PDRM itself.
- Read the full text of the Police Act 1967 (Act 344) for the complete provisions on powers and discipline.
- Consult the official page of each department at rmp.gov.my for detailed functions and contacts.

> Note: The names of office-holders (for example the current Inspector General of Police) change from time to time; this article focuses on offices and structure, not individuals. All section references are based on the Police Act 1967 (Act 344).

## Sources

- Akta Polis 1967 (Akta 344) — teks penuh — https://ccid.rmp.gov.my/Laws/Police_Act_1967.pdf (Polis Diraja Malaysia)
- Pangkat — Polis Diraja Malaysia — https://www.rmp.gov.my/infor-korporate/polis-diraja-malaysia/pangkat (Polis Diraja Malaysia)
- Jabatan-Jabatan — Polis Diraja Malaysia — https://www.rmp.gov.my/infor-korporate/jabatan---jabatan (Polis Diraja Malaysia)
- Latar Belakang EAIC — https://www.eaic.gov.my/en/about-eaic/background (Suruhanjaya Integriti Agensi Penguatkuasaan (EAIC))
- Bidang Kuasa Suruhanjaya (EAIC) — https://www.eaic.gov.my/en/about-us/act-700/function-jurisdiction/bidang-kuasa-suruhanjaya (Suruhanjaya Integriti Agensi Penguatkuasaan (EAIC))
- Maklumat Semasa Suruhanjaya Bebas Tatakelakuan Polis (IPCC) — https://www.moha.gov.my/utama/index.php/en/suruhanjaya-bebas-tatakelakuan-polis-ipcc/maklumat-semasa-ipcc (Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN))

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