Public Order Manual (POMAN) 1971 —formally titled AF Code T 1025 / Police 15 —is the standard operational guide for the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) Malaysian Armed Forces regarding the maintenance of public order. Longdom Publishing SL Core Purpose and Scope
Internal Security Act 1960: Relevant for high-stakes public order maintenance. Key Components of POMAN 1971
Dispersal Orders: Instructions for breaking up groups deemed "unlawfully assembled," often based on the perceived threat of imminent violence. public order manual poman 1971
: Chapter 25 specifically details the authorized use of tear gas by the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU/PSP) to disperse riots. Legal Alignment
The manual outlines the specific legal and operational thresholds for police intervention during assemblies: Specialized Units : It defines the roles of the Public Order Riot Unit (PORU) Public Order Manual (POMAN) 1971 —formally titled AF
Whether you study it as a manual of tactics or a manual of control, one fact is indisputable: For fifty years, POMAN 1971 has been the invisible architect of the line between the crowd and the state.
On June 25, 1975, President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed proclaimed a State of Emergency across India, citing a threat of internal disturbance. For the next 21 months, fundamental rights—including freedom of speech, assembly, and habeas corpus—were suspended. While much scholarly attention has been given to the political decisions of Indira Gandhi’s government, less focus has been placed on the ground-level execution of the Emergency. The operational key to this execution was the Public Order Manual (POMAN) 1971. Despite its name, POMAN was not a general public order guide; it was a classified police handbook drafted four years prior to the Emergency but activated and expanded in 1975. This paper provides a forensic analysis of POMAN’s structure, content, and application. : Chapter 25 specifically details the authorized use
Unlike previous localized guidelines, POMAN 1971 sought to create a unified doctrine. It moved policing away from traditional "bobbies on the beat" toward a more paramilitary style of engagement. The manual detailed specific formations, the use of shields, baton charges, and the deployment of "specialist" units to deal with high-intensity protests. The Context of the 1970s