GEORGE TOWN – Several policemen on patrol here were seen wearing the uniform of the police force’s founding days which attracted the attention of visitors at the popular tourist spots in Lebuh Armenian and Lebuh Pantai, yesterday.
Tourists in the areas were curious seeing the police team in the former uniforms. Some even mustered enough courage to approach them for pictures.
It was learned that the policemen were making their rounds in uniforms of the early days of the police force before 1948.
A tourist, Rashidah Mohamed, 58, from Johor Bahru said she was surprised and excited at the presence of policemen wearing the old uniforms at Lebuh Armenian today because it was the first time that she had seen it.
“When I saw them, [I wondered] are they actually policemen? Why are their clothes so beautiful and different. Coincidentally, I was snapping pictures in the Lebuh Armenian area, which is a tourist attraction here, at the time.
“I took photographs of the policemen on patrol and approached them to take pictures together.
“The policemen were nice to the tourists here. We also wished them all the best in their duty and happy 215th Police Day,” said Rashidah who came with her family on holiday to Penang.
Another tourist, Zulkiflee Yusof, 52, from Melaka, said the approach of the Penang police by introducing past police uniforms in public was praiseworthy because it indirectly became a history lesson to the public, especially the younger generation.
“It could be said that all tourists in the Lebuh Armenian area were stumped by the look of the policemen and shifted their attention away from the regular attractions to the law enforcers.
“Their uniforms look good and I was impressed. This approach is good. This can help our youths to know the uniforms of policemen in the past. It is very educational to the public.
“If possible, this approach of police patrolling wearing past uniforms can be done more often, at least once a month or every year during the Police Day celebration,” he said.
Meanwhile, North East district police chief, ACP Soffian Santong, when contacted by Bernama, said his personnel went on patrol in past police uniforms of 1807 in conjunction with the 215th Police Day on Friday.
He said the patrol, which was conducted together with the Tourist Police Unit today and will continue tomorrow at several tourist areas, including Lebuh Armenian and Lebuh Pantai, aims to bring nostalgia to the public.
“Besides, the patrolling policemen can showcase the uniforms that used to be worn by our security force in the past,” he added. – Bernama, March 27, 2022
