British Empire Article


David Brent


David Brent was a second-generation Malayan government officer. He was domiciled and raised in Penang where he experienced the attack and bombing of Georgetown by the Japanese in December 1941. Following service as a platoon commander in the defence of NATO and special training with the London Metropolitan Police, he returned to Malaya in 1952 as an assistant superintendent in the para-military Malayan Police Force. He commanded numerous police districts in Pahang and Johor responsible for law enforcement, security, jungle counter-insurgency, counter-insurgency intelligence, and counter-espionage. He also served in Special Branch, Malaysia’s paramount secret service. In 2007 he was awarded the Pingat Jasa Malaysia by the Malaysian Government. In December 2004 he appeared in the BBC TV documentary “Empire Warriors: The Intelligence War” and some of his experiences are recorded in “Smashing Terrorism in the Malayan Emergency – The Vital Contribution of the Police” edited by Brian Stewart, C.M.G., MCS. The latest book by Dr Leon Comber, published in 2008 “Malaya’s Secret Police 1945-60. The role of the Special Branch in the Malayan Emergency.” has a small contribution by David Brent. A book of past reminiscences “I Remember It Well” published in 2010 by David Le Breton contains an account of David Brent’s experiences in anti-narcotics investigations and raids in Pahang State and Johor State, Malaya.. A book “Jungle Forts and the Malay Emergency ” to be published soon contains a small contribution by David Brent.


Colonialism and Empires Article


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by Stephen
Luscombe