PDRM Exam cheat sheet

The PDRM examination is delivered in Malay and English; standard technical and legal terms (e.g., Kanun Tatacara Jenayah, Criminal Procedure Code) are kept in their original form in both versions.

Syllabus domains are not publicly enumerated in the source; the domains below reflect the subject areas commonly tested for Royal Malaysia Police officer progression and are marked for verification against the current official syllabus.

Core tested areas: criminal law and procedure, evidence, police powers and duties, human rights and use of force, investigation and scene management, traffic and public order, discipline and integrity, and community policing.

Statutes most frequently cited: Penal Code (Act 574), Criminal Procedure Code (Act 593), Evidence Act 1950 (Act 56), Police Act 1967 (Act 344), Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 (Act 234), and Child Act 2001 (Act 611).

Federal Constitution Articles 5 (liberty), 6 (slavery prohibition), 7 (retrospective/ double jeopardy), 8 (equality), and 13 (property) recur in questions on arrest, detention, and search.

Questions are typically scenario-based: identify the lawful power, the procedural step, and the consequence of non-compliance, rather than recite section numbers alone.

Time management rule: allocate roughly one minute per objective question; flag long scenario items and return after completing single-fact items.

Arrest without warrant is permitted for seizable offences; a police officer may arrest under s.23 CPC where a reasonable suspicion exists that an offence has been committed.

For non-seizable offences, a warrant is generally required; warrantless arrest is limited to specific statutory exceptions (e.g., obstruction, possession of housebreaking implements).

An arrested person must be informed of the grounds of arrest and, under Article 5(3) of the Federal Constitution, be allowed to consult a legal practitioner without unreasonable delay.

The 24-hour rule: an arrested person must be produced before a Magistrate within 24 hours (excluding travel time) for remand consideration; remand orders are time-limited and must be renewed.

A search warrant must specify the place, the items, and the offence; warrantless search of premises is exceptional and requires statutory authority (e.g., s.20 Dangerous Drugs Act).

The charge must state the offence with sufficient particularity; a defective charge that prejudices the accused is a ground for acquittal or retrial.

Double jeopardy (autrefois acquit/convict) bars a second trial for the same offence on the same facts; Article 7(2) codifies this.

Burden of proof in criminal cases rests on the prosecution to the standard of beyond reasonable doubt; the defence need only raise a reasonable doubt unless a statutory presumption shifts the burden.

Section 106 Evidence Act: when a fact is especially within the knowledge of a person, the burden of proving it lies on that person - commonly applied to possession cases.

Statutory presumptions in drug cases (ss.37-37A Dangerous Drugs Act) shift the burden to the accused once possession and quantity thresholds are proven.

Confessions are admissible only if voluntary; s.24 Evidence Act excludes confessions caused by inducement, threat, or promise from a person in authority.

Hearsay is generally inadmissible; exceptions include dying declarations (s.32(1)), admissions, and statements in the course of business.

Section 27 Evidence Act permits admission of so much of information received from an accused as relates distinctly to the fact thereby discovered.

Corroboration is required for certain evidence (e.g., accomplice testimony as a matter of practice, child evidence under s.133A), and identification evidence should be supported by a properly conducted identification parade.

Section 20 Police Act 1967 authorises arrest without warrant for offences committed in the officer's presence and for reasonable suspicion of seizable offences.

Section 24 Police Act 1967 empowers search of persons and premises in specified circumstances; the power is narrower than the general warrant procedure and must be tied to a lawful purpose.

Use of force must be necessary and proportionate: s.15 CPC permits reasonable force to effect an arrest, and s.99 Penal Code limits force to what is necessary to repel an assault.

Deadly force is lawful only in defence of life or in preventing escape of a person reasonably believed to pose a grave threat; it is never justified solely to protect property.

Stop-and-search requires reasonable suspicion; a search of a person of the opposite sex must generally be conducted by an officer of the same sex, save in exigent circumstances.

Detention beyond 24 hours requires a Magistrate's remand order; detention for investigation under s.117 CPC is capped and must be justified by ongoing investigation needs.

Officers must maintain a pocket notebook and station diary; entries are contemporaneous records and may be used to impeach or support testimony.

First responder priorities, in order: safety of officers and public, preservation of life (first aid), securing the scene, then preserving evidence.

Scene preservation: establish an inner cordon (scene), outer cordon (command/access), and a single entry/exit log recording name, time, and purpose.

Chain of custody must be unbroken: every transfer of an exhibit is recorded with date, time, handler, and seal number.

Sections 51-52 CPC govern search and seizure during investigation; a list of seized items must be prepared and, where practicable, signed by the occupant.

Statements: a witness statement under s.112 CPC is for investigation; a cautioned statement under s.113 CPC relates to the accused and requires caution.

Forensic samples (DNA, fingerprints, blood) require lawful authority and, for intimate samples, consent or a Magistrate's order.

Investigation diaries are privileged and not disclosable to the defence except as required by law; the case file must nonetheless be complete and contemporaneous.

Road Transport Act 1987 offences: driving under the influence (s.45), reckless driving (s.42), and driving without a licence (s.26) each carry distinct penalty tiers.

Section 45A RTA 1987 sets the prescribed alcohol limit (80 mg per 100 ml blood; 35 µg per 100 ml breath) and the procedure for breath, blood, and urine testing.

Accident investigation: secure the scene, render aid, record positions and skid marks, identify witnesses, and obtain vehicle and licence particulars.

Public order powers under the Police Act 1967 (ss.27-27A) require a licence for assemblies; the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 governs notification and conditions for assemblies.

Community policing: Neighbourhood Watch (Rukun Tetangga) and Community Policing programmes rely on information-sharing and joint patrols; the officer's role is coordination, not enforcement.

Traffic control at scenes: establish a diversion, use high-visibility markings, and log all vehicle movements for later reconstruction.

Juvenile matters fall under the Child Act 2001: a child (under 18) must be dealt with by a Juvenile Court and, where detained, kept separate from adult detainees.

The Police Act 1967 and the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations 1993 govern misconduct, including absence without leave, insubordination, and abuse of authority.

Corruption offences fall under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 (ss.16-17: soliciting and accepting gratification) and the Penal Code (s.161-165).

Gratification includes money, gifts, favours, and any advantage; the test is whether it is given to influence official action, not its monetary value.

Disciplinary proceedings may be internal (Police Act) or criminal; the two are not mutually exclusive and may proceed in parallel.

Whistleblower protection under the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 applies to disclosures of improper conduct made in good faith to an enforcement agency.

Use-of-force reporting: every discharge of a firearm and every use of force resulting in injury must be reported and investigated.

Conflicts of interest must be declared; an officer must not investigate a case involving a relative or a person with whom they have a financial relationship.