Also expressing her condolences was the Tengku Ampuan of Pahang, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, Bernama reported.
“My condolences to the entire family of the late Tun Mohammed Hanif Omar, the former inspector-general of police,” Sultan Al-Abdullah said in a post on the Pahang royal house’s Facebook page.
Sultan Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah and Tengku Permaisuri Selangor Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin also expressed their condolences to Hanif’s family.
Hanif, 85, died at 2.15am today due to kidney disease.
Earlier, IGP Razarudin Husain also extended condolences on behalf of the police force to Hanif’s family. He described Hanif as a “legend” in the force.
Home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said Hanif had contributed a lot to ensuring the security of the nation and his sacrifices would not be forgotten.
Hanif’s remains were earlier expected to be laid to rest at the Heroes’ Mausoleum after zuhur prayers at the National Mosque today. However, Hanif’s son, Abdul Rahmat Omar, said the remains were buried at the Bukit Kiara Muslim cemetery at the family’s request.
Hanif became the fourth IGP at the age of 35 on June 8 1974 and retired on Jan 15, 1994 as the longest-serving IGP in Malaysia for 20 years.
He replaced Abdul Rahman Hashim, who was killed in a communist attack in Kuala Lumpur.
Born in Teluk Intan, Perak, on Jan 16,1939, he received his early education at the Anglo-Chinese School and the Malay College Kuala Kangsar.
He then pursued his studies at University of Malaya in Singapore, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1959 before obtaining a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Buckingham, UK.
Hanif’s career journey in the police force began as cadet assistant superintendent on June 8, 1959, before holding several high-ranking positions, including as the Melaka police chief on Sept 7, 1970 and Selangor police chief on Dec 6, 1971.
He assumed the position of deputy IGP on Feb 1, 1973.
A year into his tenure as IGP, Hanif established the Special Actions Unit, an elite counter-terrorism unit, on Jan 1, 1975 and played a pivotal role in the rescue operation during the AIA building hostage crisis in August of the same year.
Hanif served as the principal staff officer (police) of the National Operations Council (May 18, 1969) after the May 13 incident.
He was also one of five police officers who escorted the first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, to the Manila Conference during the establishment of Maphilindo in 1963.
Hanif was also one of the government’s representatives at the peace treaty signed by the Communist Party of Malaya with the governments of Malaysia and Thailand on Dec 2, 1989, in Haadyai, Thailand.
After retiring in January 1994, Hanif served as a member of the Royal Commission to Enhance the Operations and Management of the Police (2004-2005), patron of Yayasan Pengaman Malaysia, and president of the Malaysian branch of the Royal Asiatic Society.
He was also actively involved in the corporate world, holding several key positions such as chairman of Maxis Communications Bhd and deputy chairman of Genting Bhd and Resorts World Bhd.