KUALA LUMPUR: A German Shepherd from police's K9 Unit made history when he became the first canine to be honoured with the 'Jasamu Dikenang' medal by the Pahang police contingent after successfully detecting a fleeing criminal in November last year.
The canine named ‘Lao Wu’, who is five years and six months old, received the medal from Pahang police chief Datuk Abd Jalil Hassan during the contingent's monthly assembly in Kuantan yesterday.
Abd Jalil was represented by his deputy Datuk Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri, who handed over the medal to Sergeant S. Sanmugam.
Sanmugam, who has been Lao Wu's handler since 2015, then proudly draped the medal to the calm four-legged crime buster.
Lao Wu is the fourth police dog Sanmugam has handled in his 29-year career.
Bernama reported that Lao Wu, who was acquired from China, was recognised for his efforts in locating a vehicle theft suspect who had fled 4km deep into a palm oil plantation in Felda Sungai Tekam, Jerantut on the early morning of Nov 14.
Sanmugam said his colleagues had shot the suspect on the leg and Lao Wu subsequently found a bloodied T-shirt.
The bloodied T-shirt was believed to have been left behind by the suspect after wiping off blood on his leg.
"Lao Wu was so excited to find the suspect that he tugged hard and I fell down twice due to the uneven surface in the plantation. We arrived at a home where the owner said a man had asked for help after he was shot.
"But the man fled when the house owner wanted to contact the police," Sanmugam was quoted as saying.
Hours later, Lao Wu led the raiding team into the plantation where they stumbled upon a river.
Sanmugam said Lao Wu was insistent on crossing the river and his action made them believe the suspect was hiding on the other side.
After crossing the river at 6am, Sanmugam said Lao Wu's canine instincts were right as blood stains were discovered nearby. Lao Wu had also gone back and forth several times between the plantation and the main road.
"Lao Wu then led us to a house where the suspect was finally found behind the premises at about 10.45am in a weak state. He pleaded me not to release Lao Wu the moment he saw him.
"The suspect had also admitted that he had a few times walked to the main road to wait for a friend who was going to pick him up.
"But he had to return to the plantation because his friend did not show up," recalled Sanmugam.