KUALA LUMPUR: Outgoing Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani reminded his fellow men in blue to never take the force for granted.
He said this in his parting message to 130,000 officers and personnel serving in the force and urged them to carry out their duties diligently.
"Never ever take your jobs for granted and make sure to discharge your duties and responsibilities with full commitment," he said during the handing over of duties ceremony held at the Kuala Lumpur Police Training Centre (Pulapol) here today.
Present was Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
Acryl Sani said he received a post-retirement offer by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and that was the reason for his early retirement.
The 61-year old, who has spent 37 years with the force, has chosen early retirement to take on another job at a government financial institution that required him to start on an earlier date.
His deputy, Tan Sri Razaruddin Husain, will assume the duties of the IGP effective tomorrow.
In his speech, Acryl Sani clarified that there was nothing suspicious about his early retirement as change was inevitable, and he expressed his gratitude to the prime minister for the post-retirement offer.
He said he joined the force in 1986 because he needed a job to get by during the recession period.
"However, after joining the force, I grew to love my job and ever since it has been one of the few things closest to my heart, after my wife and family.
"My wife and I are very grateful to the force for providing us the capability to build a family all these years."
Acryl Sani said he left the police force with a full heart.
"I believe that my comrades will do their best to uphold the credibility of the force.
"Remember our logo, our slogan -- Ready to Serve. We are part of the community so we must be with community to ensure peace and harmony.
"We must understand that we will not be here forever but our duties as policemen will never end, so we pass them over to our successors to carry on," he said, adding that he had mixed feelings about his decision.
Razarudin's position will be filled by former Criminal Investigation Department director, Datuk Seri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay.
He was also sworn in during the same ceremony.