The late Corporal Safwan Muhammad Ismail was a symbol of loyalty and sacrifice by police personnel in serving the country, said Selangor CID chief, SAC Datuk Fadzil Ahmad.

Fadzil said Safwan, who was attached to the Kajang district police headquarters, had sacrificed his life in unusual circumstances.

“He was just a rank and file member but his death was extraordinary; at a time when some of us were in the comfort of our family, he was out in the battle field,” he said in a statement today.

Fadzil said he was overcome with emotions when handing over the Panji Sang Saka Biru (Royal Malaysia Police Pennant) to Safwan’s father, who was a commando with VAT69 in Ulu Kinta, Perak.

“It was under this pennant that he raised his nine children, and it was also under this pennant that one of his children returned to Allah.

“But he still embraced the police force pennant which I handed him with a mixture of sadness and pride written on his face,” he added.

Fadzil had accompanied the body of Safwan for burial at the Kampung Bakar Bata Muslim cemetery in Tanjung Rambutan, Ipoh in Perak at about 6 am today.

Safwan, 31, was killed on the spot when a four-wheel-drive Toyota Hilux, driven by a man believed drunk, ran over him when he was manning a roadblock at the Kajang Selatan toll plaza of the Kajang-Seremban Highway (LEKAS) at about 2 am on Sunday.

More than 300 people comprising family members, relatives, friends and colleagues attended Safwan’s funeral. - BERNAMA