SHAH ALAM – Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail firmly denied any political affiliation throughout his 38-year service with the police. This follows public confusion caused by a misleading infographic that incorrectly linked him to a political party.
Speaking to reporters today after the Home Ministry’s monthly assembly in Putrajaya, he made it clear that he had never been affiliated with any political party during his long tenure in the police force. His remarks addressed an infographic that mistakenly identified him as a member of a political party, which caused confusion among the public over the weekend.
Khalid remained composed about the matter and confirmed that the media outlet responsible had contacted him to arrange a meeting.
“Insya-Allah, I will meet them in the near future,” he said.
According to the nation's new top cop, his team would hold discussions with the media outlet to hear their side and provide constructive input on the way forward. “I hope that the close relationship should continue between the police and all journalists because it is the main thing for us to provide the best reports not only to the police but also to all government agencies and the Madani Government,” he said.
On June 22, Sinar Harian publicly acknowledged a mistake in an infographic that incorrectly identified the IGP as a member of a political party. The error occurred when a staff member from the Social Media Unit reused an old design template previously associated with Tan Sri Johari Abdul, resulting in misleading content.
The publication extended a formal apology to Khalid, the police and the public for the confusion. In response, Sinar Harian lodged a police report and initiated an internal investigation to determine whether sabotage had occurred.
The staff member involved, along with their supervisor, was temporarily suspended pending the outcome of the investigation. The media outlet also pledged to improve editorial quality control and standard operating procedures to prevent such incidents in the future.