Assistant Commissioner S. Kulasingam, former Johor CID chief and Kuala Lumpur deputy CID chief. Former deputy inspector-general of police, Tan Sri Hussin Ismail recalls the iconic crime buster from the 70s: When I joined the police force in 1971, there were a few outstanding crime busters as they were called in those days. They were exceptional police officers. These crime busters instilled fear in criminals. (Then) ASP Kulasingam was one of them. He made a name for himself with a number of high profile cases. In the course of his duty, he was shot at a few times, but survived. His capture of the notorious gangster Botak Chin was one of the highest profile cases and was closely followed. There was like a personal vendetta between them. Something like a catch me if you can game. Todays police force has improved in terms of tactics, techniques and is better off in terms of manpower. Because there are more police officers working, it is hard for criminals to single out any one of us. But in those days it was different, he said. Kulasingam died in 2007 at the age of 77, from old age complications. He was a bachelor. According to news reports of the past, the mere mention of his name was enough to send shivers down the spine of many criminals. He was known as the toughest cop ever after having survived several attempts on his life by gangsters. Below is an extract from a report in the New Straits Times: The first attempt was in 1975. He had stopped at a traffic light junction when 11 shots were fired at him. One of the bullets shattered his right rib, pierced his liver, and grazed his lungs. On April 7, 1976, Kula was shot in the stomach during a robbery at a jewellery shop in Paramount Gardens, Petaling Jaya. He also survived when a 44-pound jar of formic acid was splashed on his legs and chest; when a tree fell, killing a helper instead; when an axe-wielding man rushed at him; and when a patrol car in Sarawak was ambushed and another officer with the same name as him was killed. Kulasingam, who later held the post of Johor CID chief, was best known for capturing the infamous Botak Chin, who carried out many robberies in the Klang Valley in the 1970s. He was once quoted as saying: How could I die of anything but old age?
Posted on: Sun, 11 May 2014 01:42:44 +0000
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