PUTRAJAYA, 6 NOV – After nearly seven decades, the Royal Military Police Corps Training Centre (Pulapot) in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur will return to its post-World War II site in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan.
Platinum Victory Development Sdn Bhd will undertake the development of the new camp at Si Rusa district, near Segenting Camp, under a RM232.9 million contract from the Defence Ministry.
The new Pulapot, which now also houses the Army Red Warriors acrobatic team at Jalan Genting Klang in Setapak, would take shape in two years’ time.
The relocation is part of the Malaysian Armed Forces asset redevelopment plan, which also includes the Armed Forces Family Housing scheme (RKAT) and to implement the ‘one military personnel, one house’ (SASaR) project.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim emphasised the significance of the development of military assets and RKAT project in fortifying the nation’s defence and ensuring the highest level of safety for its people.
“The asset development and housing projects for the armed forces aligned with the government’s ‘Malaysia Madani’ goal of ensuring the well-being of military personnel, their families and the surrounding community.
“The new Pulapot complex, along with enhancing the existing facilities, is set to provide comfortable housing in Kuala Lumpur at prices below the market rate.
“This will undoubtedly benefit the defence workforce, including the military personnel, veterans and civilian employees at the Defence Ministry,” he said after witnessing the signing of the agreement for the relocation and redevelopment of Pulapot, at Perdana Putra.
The agreement was inked between the Defence Ministry, Syarikat Tanah dan Harta Sdn Bhd, Federal Land Commissioner and Platinum Victory Development.
Present were Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali and ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Isham Ishak.
The new Pulapot complex in Port Dickson will include facilites for the Royal Military Police Corps’ headquarters, the corps’ 12th Company camp, Wisma Perwira officer’s mess, Wisma Bintara sergeant’s mess, a multipurpose hall, avenues for training, obstacle clearance, accommodation, field exercises, a shooting range, parade ground, a religious school and family homes.
Under the agreement, the construction of SASaR homes at the Army’s 4th Division headquarters at Wardieburn Camp in Jalan Genting Klang, will offer 974 units of condominiums, while another 6,400 condominium units would be built on the redeveloped land where Pulapot currently occupies, nearby.
The SASaR project is an initiative by Mindef to provide an opportunity for its personnel, including military veterans and civilian employees, to own comfortable homes in Kuala Lumpur at affordable prices starting at RM150,000.
Mohamad said the initiative was the second phase of the project after the first at the Army’s Sungai Besi camp, which was under construction.
Mohamad said the homes would be built by Platinum Victory Development on ministry land and sold at subsidised prices, but were not for sale to the public.
According to the quota, 80 per cent would be allocated to military personnel, 15 per cent to military veterans and the rest to civilian ministry staff.
The 974 SASaR homes at Wardieburn Camp would consist of 1,400 square metres and 1,500 square metres units, as well as amenities such as a gymnasium, swimming pool and two parking spaces for each house.
The Genting Klang project would offer 6,400 residential units of 1,000 square metres and 1,200 square metres, and include basic amenities that comply with the National Affordable Housing Policy.
The origins of the military police corps dates back to Dec 4, 1950 during the early years of the Malayan Emergency, when nine Royal Malay Regiment soldiers were chosen to form the Malay Regiment Military Police Section.
They were to perform provost duties within the regiment and were stationed at Kem Segenting at Port Dickson.
This was the post-World War II era when Malaya was in a precarious situation after the civil police was in tatters when the two battalions of the Royal Malay Regiment had been disbanded by the Japanese colonialists when Singapore fell in 1942.
After the war, Britain sent reinforcements to Malaya and the Indian Army played a major role in assisting the civil authorities enforcing peace and order.
On Nov 12, 1953, the Malay Regiment Military Police was transferred to the British Royal Military Police administration stationed at Taiping, Perak.
It subsequently led to the formation of the Military Police Company under the command of Captain Thomas Michael 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 March 29, 1957 and underwent a name change to the Federation Military Police.
And in July 1957, the company was moved to Fort Imphal (opposite the Defence Ministry in Jalan Padang Tembak) in Kuala Lumpur.
With the formation of Malaysia on Sept 16, 1963 the unit was called the Malaysian Military Police Corps.
The corps was bestowed the royal “DiRaja” title on June 7, 1997 by the the then Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Ja’afar Tuanku Abdul Rahman.
Pulapot trains officers and other ranks in military policing and military law to carry out provost duty, investigations, martial arts and traffic duty.
It was also in 1963, when the ‘Wira Merah’ (Red Warriors Acrobatic Team) was established at Imphal Camp.
It is a popular motorcycle acrobatic stunt and demonstration team famed for its exceptional riding skills at military tattoos and national day parades.
The team was founded by Warrant Officers I Sabdin Othman and 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 Second-Lieutenant Clifford Baptist for a display at the 10th National Day 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-styled jump is their highlight, involving a jump over human formations or vehicular obstacles. The jump record is over 18 Proton Iswara cars.
The team presently uses a total of 29 motorcycles, including 12 Moto Guzzis, six BSA, five Modenas Jaguh, two Trial bikes, two Aprilias and two Suzuki scramblers.
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