TANJONG MALIM, Oct 6 — Time may have passed, but the image of the late former Perak police chief Tan Sri Khoo Chong Kong as a loving father and a firm, courageous police officer remains vivid for his daughter, Datin Rita Koo Swee Kim.
Rita, 78, said a pantomime performance held in conjunction with the official opening of the Muallim District Police Headquarters (IPD) today rekindled memories of her father, nearly 51 years after his death, leaving her deeply moved.
“I was 25 at the time and living in Seremban (Negeri Sembilan) after getting married. I received a call from a police officer telling me that something had happened to my father, but I was given no further details.
“When we heard the news, my husband and I rushed back to Ipoh to see my father and find out what had happened to him. He had been attacked with a weapon. I’m really touched that the Royal Malaysia Police, especially the Perak police, still remember him after all these years,” she said when met here today.
Earlier, the Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah officiated the opening of the Muallim IPD.
Rita, Khoo’s eldest daughter, said one of the memories closest to her heart was how devoted her father was to his work, often spending long hours on duty, particularly during his service with the Special Branch and operations to combat communist activities.
She said there were times when her father had to be away from home for one or two months to carry out operations, leaving her mother worried about his safety.
“He was always very busy. There were times when he would leave for an operation and be gone for one or two months. We never knew exactly when he would be coming home,” she said.
Rita said that despite his firm and serious demeanour while on duty, her father was a loving and caring man at home.
She also described him as a man who stood firmly by his principles and would not compromise on what he believed was right, saying his courage in carrying out his duties had always been an inspiration to her.
Meanwhile, Rita said seeing the official car her father once used and the blood-stained uniform he wore during the incident was an emotional experience, bringing back memories of her father and the sacrifice he made in the line of duty.
“It really takes me back to those days. I had seen the car at a museum before, but seeing it again today, together with his uniform and hearing the stories about him, really brought back so many memories,” she said.
Born on November 12, 1925, in Kwangsi, China, the late Khoo was raised in Ipoh and joined the Sarawak Constabulary as an inspector on November 5, 1952, before holding several key positions and eventually becoming Perak police chief on January 7, 1975.
He was shot while travelling home from the Perak Police Contingent Headquarters to his residence on Jalan Tawar, Ipoh, at about 1pm on November 13, 1975, in an attack believed to have been carried out by communist insurgents.
His driver, Corporal Yeong Peng Cheong, was also killed in the attack, while Khoo succumbed to his injuries on November 14, 1975, about 28 hours after he was shot. — Bernama
* Editor’s note: IPD is the abbreviation in Malay for Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah (District Police Headquarters).
Date: 6 October, 2026 9:30 pm
Source: Malay Mail
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