For two decades, POMAN 1971 was a “restricted” police publication. Police authorities refused to release it to defense lawyers or even magistrates. It was treated as operational secret, leading to accusations that police were inventing their own private criminal code. After a sustained Freedom of Information campaign in the 1990s, most (but not all) of POMAN 1971 was declassified, revealing a document that was simultaneously more professional and more alarming than critics had imagined.
: Defines the role of the Public Order Riot Unit in preventing and calming riots, assisting the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and general crowd control. Command Structure public order manual poman 1971
POMAN 1971 is widely credited with inventing the containment tactic later known as "kettling" (from the German Kessel – "cauldron"). The manual described “Encircling containment” as a non-violent way to control a volatile crowd: simply surround them and wait for their energy to dissipate. For two decades, POMAN 1971 was a “restricted”
The Public Order Manual (POMAN) 1971 serves as an internal operational guide for the Royal Malaysia Police, detailing tactical procedures for the Federal Reserve Unit (PSP) to manage riots and public assemblies. Key provisions include guidelines for crowd dispersal, the use of chemical agents, and structured tactical options for maintaining peace under the Police Act 1967. Read more from parliamentary documentation at Sinar Project . After a sustained Freedom of Information campaign in