Hamid is new Special Branch chief

KUALA LUMPUR: The Special Branch former second-in-command Datuk Abdul Hamid Bador, who was constructively steered out of the police force after he broke ranks with his superiors over the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal, will report for duty today as the department's new chief.
Abdul Hamid, 60, who went on early retirement in 2015, was asked by Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad last week to take the post.
He replaces Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff, who steps down as head of the Special Branch and retires from the police force today.
Mohd Mokhtar, who was due for mandatory retirement when he was head of the federal narcotics crime investigation department in August last year, was given a one-year extension of service.
Abdul Hamid is also among four officials in a new special task force formed on Monday to probe the 1MDB scandal.
The other three are MACC chief Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Abdull, former MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed and former attorney-general Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail.
In 2015, Abdul Hamid went public to express dissatisfaction over non-action against those behind the 1MDB scandal.
After being transferred to the Prime Minister's Department, he opted for early retirement.