Cover Volunteer police officer and Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman associate professor Dr Phaik Kin Cheah highlights the unseen experiences of the incredible men and women of the Royal Malaysia Police Volunteer Reserve (Photo: Daniel Adams)
Volunteer police officer and Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman associate professor Dr Phaik Kin Cheah highlights the unseen experiences of the incredible men and women of the Royal Malaysia Police Volunteer Reserve (Photo: Daniel Adams)
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The volunteer police officer and Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman associate professor highlights the unseen experiences of the incredible men and women of the Royal Malaysia Police Volunteer Reserve
“Aren’t you scared?”
This was a typical response Dr Phaik Kin Cheah would hear from people when she first joined the Royal Malaysia Police Volunteer Reserve (Sukarelawan Polis Diraja Malaysia or RMPVR) in 2014. The RMPVR comprises is a team of special police volunteers–generally regular citizens who are working professionals from various backgrounds–who support the Royal Malaysian Police in maintaining peace and security.
At the time, the mother of two was the Faculty of Arts and Social Science dean at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman with a full-time job in academia and research. “I joined to be a good example and to respond to the needs of the community in Kampar, where there were many cases affecting student safety. I was the only professor in the force, and people thought it was strange. They would say, ‘Are you crazy? Don’t you have a family to worry about?’” Cheah says. “My late husband was very supportive of my decision. I wanted to take the opportunity to educate people about what volunteers and police do in general—that it’s not just about how many arrests or drug labs you bust. What’s also important is how many crimes are prevented, but that data is not usually accounted for.”
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Above Cheah receiving a token of thanks after delivering a career talk at SMK Dato’ Zulkifli Muhammad in June 2023 (Photo: University Tunku Abdul Rahman)
Cheah receiving a token of thanks after delivering a career talk at SMK Dato’ Zulkifli Muhammad in June 2023 (Photo: University Tunku Abdul Rahman)
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Recognising that there was a lack of documentation and research on volunteer police work in Malaysia, Cheah co-authored the first study of police volunteerism in the country in 2018 for Policing: An International Journal. “Initially, my focus was on capturing information for knowledge preservation,” she says. “As I delved deeper into my volunteer work, my attention shifted towards gaining an understanding of the practical aspects and challenges faced by law enforcement agencies. This led me to conduct comprehensive research specifically centred around police volunteers, uncovering their distinct contributions, challenges, and invaluable perspectives.”
Currently a lance corporal in the Royal Malaysia Police Volunteer Reserve, Cheah has received various awards for her contributions to the police force and numerous international accolades. She has been invited to serve as a member of the board of advisors in the US-based Volunteer Law Enforcement Officer Alliance. She has also spoken at several international conferences, including the Association of Special Constabulary Officers’ National Women in the Special Constabulary Conference.
Having worked alongside people of all backgrounds, from farmers to homemakers, in the Police Volunteer Reserve, Cheah believes this dedicated yet seldom-publicised group of volunteers is invaluable to the communities they protect and to the police force as a whole. Our dual roles as professionals and volunteer officers enable us to build bridges between the police force and the communities we serve.”
Above Photo: Daniel Adams
Photo: Daniel Adams
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Cheah recounts a memorable incident when she was asked to accompany a patrol team of officers to a restaurant where a five-year-old girl had been separated from her parents.
“The patrol group left and then came back around suddenly. They asked if I could come along, though I was actually on counter duty that day. When we got to the restaurant, the little girl was there with the restaurant staff trying to calm her down. I told her I’m a policewoman and asked if I could help her find her mum. The patrol group had asked her to come back to the police station to wait for her parents there, but she was too frightened to follow all those big men in their uniforms,” Cheah says with a laugh.
“We talk about the challenges of gaining the community’s trust. But try earning the trust of a frightened five-year-old! She was reunited with her parents. But imagine if she had gone missing for days or months? Incidents like this aren’t reported in the news, but they’re part of what we do every day. Police work is not just about enforcing laws and maintaining order; it’s also about building strong relationships with the community.”
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Previously contributing to Esquire Malaysia, Expat Lifestyle and Newsweek, Tania oversees digital stories across Tatler’s key content pillars, also leading the Front & Female platform exploring issues and topics affecting women today.
