Honouring top Sikh cop Amar Singh Ishar Singh

Kayi Jeet baki hain

Kayi Haar Baaki hai

Abhi to zindagi ke saal baki hain

Yahan se chale hain nayin manzil ke liye

Yeh Ek Panna tha

Abhi to kitab baaki hai.

 

Je Nokri milna ik charda suraj hai,

Ta sewa Navridi Retirement us chandarma di thandi shaa hai.

 

Ladies & Gentlemen,

A warm welcome to our honourable Police Commissioner Datuk Seri Amar Singh ji and all distinguished guests present here today. I’m honoured to have this opportunity to address you in this prestigious moment in honouring our distinguished Sikh Top Cop, Commercial Crime Investigation Director, Commissioner Dato’ Seri Amar Singh Ishar Singh ji who retires today, 5 Dec 2018, after an illustrious career spanning 35 years with the Royal Malaysian Police.

I’ll be taking a few minutes to speak about a leader who brings light to a room, who brings belief to a room. A leader who served 35 years with courage and distinction in the Police Force with his first posting in his hometown Ipoh in 1983. The 3^rd generation police retires as a Police Commissioner, the highest rank achieved by a Sikh in the Malaysian Police Force.

As we know he made history for the Sikh community in Malaysia when he was appointed as the Kuala Lumpur Police Chief with the rank Commissioner on 19 Feb 2016. As very aptly mentioned by the Asia Samachar, he broke the ceiling for the community again when, effective 14 Oct 2017, he was appointed as the Commercial Crime Investigation Director.

As one said: Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is the conquest of fear and champions conquer their fear. Fear clogs, Faith liberates.

Amidst us, we see a man who is a hallmark of a Great Champion. A champion who has the tenacity to claw out of a difficult situation. Very Aptly: Har haalaat ko jeetney wala Sikander.

His consistent belief in serving with integrity and doing what’s right regardless of the consequences is a virtue we have witnessed during his tenure in handling many situations, more so in the recent months, where this towering figure has taken the bull by it’s horn and called a spade a spade.

Peter Drucker once said that “Good manners are the lubricating oil of organisations.” Civility or good manners are critical in building lasting professional relationship as well as in creating a respectful office environment. This we saw in our Sikh Leader who handled journalists and the social media with consummate ease. A serious media session starting with a Babbar Sher stance changing into light banter with funny anecdotes earning him a fan club for being respectful, professional yet passing the right message to the public by being open and transparent.

He is seen by many as a formidable leader in the Police Force. Sidhuji ka ik syair describes the strength of character we see in Datuk Seri:

Kuch log  pressure mein Bichare ban jaate hain

Unku Log Yaad Nahin Karte

Lekin Kuch Log Sawar ke Nikhar Ke Aate Hain

Ik Pathar Chot Kha ke Kankar Kankar Ho Gaya

Ik Pathar Chot Shehe ke Shankar Shankar Ho Gaya….

Among his comrades Datuk Seri is known to be one who can and has faced adversity without buckling down under pressure, for pressure is what you allow it to be.

Thirty five years of formidable record with the Police Force through sheer hard work, tenacity, discipline in facing adversity and challenges, further strengthened by humility, spirituality through Sikh tenets Sarbat Da Bhalla has kept him in Chardi Kala (exalted spirit) all these years.

On the community front, Dato’ Sri has been generous in his willingness to devote time, effort and patience to guide like minded people to serve selflessly. His tenacity of selfless service  with Guruji’s blessing is seen in the beautiful development of Gurdwara Sahib Pulapol, being the center of distribution of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Saroops not only in Malaysia but Asia. The redevelopment of Langgar Hall & Pavittar Ashtaan Building was mooted by Dato Sri back in 2009 while he was the 40^th Commandent of Pulapol and these officially opened in 2010 and 2011, respectively. The Pavittar Ashtaan houses 230 saroops, of which almost 100 saroops have been distributed to Gurdwaras and homes of Sikh Sanggat in Malaysia, Indonesia and Manila.

This sewa has now progressed on to the second  phase whereby restoration of birdh saroops is undertaken by GSP to save our holy scriptures. Agan Peth is no longer a first way out. Efforts were taken to bring in a restoration specialist from Delhi to ensure work is done professionally.

The Pulapol Punjabi school (PPEC) was mooted in 2013 and now has 50 Sikh students attending the Saturday classes.

Datuk Seri has been a key figure in the Loke Yew Crematorium redevelopment project.

On the sports front, he has been a driving force in setting up the Royal Malaysian Police Sikh Sports Association (RMPSSA) & also the development of sports for Sikh youth through the Holla Mahalla platform.

His belief and message to his team has always been, a man with new ideas is referred to as a crank until the ideas succeed. You must have it in you to execute your ideas.

Don’t let criticism pull you down. Don’t be accountable to the world, be accountable to yourself and serve selflessly. Duniya ka sabse barha rog…Mere bare mein kya kahenge log.. 

As a figure of speech, he is a man who wears many hats.

Men of Genius are admired

Men of Power are feared

Men of Character are Trusted

Dato Sri fits easily into all three categories given his multiple degrees, hard earned position as the Police Commissioner but Category 3 fits him the best, being a Man of Character, with the grace of Guru ji, he has passed the toughest tests in his 35 year tenure in the Police Force and still walked the path of truth, never compromising on moral values.

Asulun pein aanch aye to takrana zarori hain

Aur zinda ho to zinda nazar aana zaroori hain.

We salute this man who has made the Sikh Community and the Police Force proud with his exemplary leadership.

Dato Sri Amar Singh ji, on behalf of the GSP Committee, your Sikh Police Comrades and the sanggat present here today,  record our appreciation and wish you a very happy retirement from the Police Force. We collectively believe that 60 is a fairly young age, you’re are definitely cruising in your New 50’s.

While enjoying your retirement, the Sikh Community hopes to interact much more with you though mentorship given your vast experience.

Enjoy a light poem in celebration of your successful retirement:-

 

35 years, how the time flew

From 1983 to 2018 you grew

Superintendent se Commissioner how your wings flew

It’s time to retire & recuperate, yahoo..

 

Many thanks for the lessons we learnt

Never knew Bijan was a handbag, you know what I mean..

Us ladies just knew Bijan as the minyak in the kitchen

Until you made it known the bag was made of Chamri or was it Linen.

 

Chocolates tasted different back then

You made them more exciting, let’s buy more of them

Tin kosong, don’t mess with my Turban, Billion Dollar Whale Man

Your witty retorts made us laugh again & again.

 

Oh how the Force is gonna miss your Babbar Sher fierceness

How you made them tie the Pagri in all earnest

A man of character, not an ounce of meekness

Valuing Integrity & Honesty, bringing much greatness

 

Sarbat Da Bhalla

Common good of all ..

Tenet you believe in and preached sewa to all

We shall endeavour & serve one & all

 

Har Parbat Pe Mani Manik Nahin Hote

Har Haathi ke Mathe pe Mukta Mani Nahin Hoti

Har Jungle Mein Chamman ke Phedh Nahin Hote

Aur Har Desh Mein Amar Singh jaise sipahi nahin hote.

 

RELATED STORY:

‘We don’t work. We serve’, says Sikh top cop on retirement (Asia Samachar, 5 Dec 2018)

Top Sikh cop Amar Singh now director at Bukit Aman (Asia Samachar, 10 Oct 2017)

PDRM confirms rank of commissioner for Amar, ACP for Baljeet (Asia Samachar, 9 Feb 2017)

Amar Singh makes history for Sikhs in Malaysian police force (Asia Samachar, 19 Feb 2016)