Retired celebrated senior police officer Yuen Yuet Leng, who passed away on Thursday, was laid to rest today at the Xiao En Memorial Park here with full police honours.

The funeral ceremony which preceded the burial at 12.35pm was attended by about 150 people comprising family members, friends and senior police officers.

The casket, draped in the 'Jalur Gemilang' national flag, was brought to the memorial park accompanied by a convoy of police vehicles at 12.15pm, as a sombre mood prevailed.

Dewan Negara president Abu Zahar Ujang; former Tourism Minister Dr Ng Yen Yen; Bukit Aman Management Department director Zulkifli Abdullah; Negri Sembilan police chief Jaafar Mohd Yusof and Kuala Lumpur police deputy chief Law Hong Soon were among those who paid their last respects.

Everyone present observed a minute's silence before the laying of wreaths.

The 'last post' was sounded after which Zulkifli presented the 'Jalur Gemilang' that was used to drape the casket to Yuen's widow, Chan Choy May.

A wake was held from Thursday at the Xiao En Centre in Cheras for family members and friends to pay their last respects.

The official funeral ceremony at the Xiao En Centre began at 8.30am, attended by family members, close friends and several retired police officers.

Yuen's daughter, Susan Yuen Sumin, delivered an eulogy of her father at the funeral ceremony.

Survived a shot in the chest

This was followed by a 30-minute video presentation on Yuen, which included his services and sacrifices in the line of duty in the police force.

The casket was carried by six police officers in full uniform to the hearse and after the final salute was taken on the journey to the memorial park.

Yuen, who had served as the Perak chief police officer and Sarawak police commissioner, died of a heart ailment at the age of 88 at his daughter's residence in The Mines, Seri Kembangan, at about 6am on Thursday. He was born in Larut Matang, Perak.

Yuen had played a major role in the Hatyai Peace Negotiation with the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM).

He had also accompanied the then inspector-general of police Rahim Noor to China to meet CPM leaders Chin Peng, Abdullah CD and Rashid Maidin prior to the peace accord.

As a young policeman, he survived a shot in the chest in 1951 in a battle with communists in Gerik, Perak.

- Bernama