After 70 years, IPD Petaling Jaya to make way for new police headquarters

KUALA LUMPUR — After more than seven decades at the heart of policing in Petaling Jaya, the Petaling Jaya district police headquarters (IPD PJ) in Jalan Penchala will be demolished next month to make way for a new headquarters. From October, more than 800 police officers and personnel will operate temporarily from the SYM World Building along Jalan Templer, where 12 floors have been rented to serve as the district’s temporary operations centre. The temporary arrangement is expected to last between three and five years while the existing headquarters is demolished and a new facility is constructed on the Jalan Penchala site. Speaking exclusively to Scoop, IPD PJ Head of Crime Prevention and Community Safety Division DSP Sivakumar Thankaraja said the relocation marked the end of an era for a building that had housed generations of police personnel. “I have been serving here for six years, and naturally there are many memories. This is a place where many officers have spent a significant part of their careers serving the people of Petaling Jaya. “The building has been here for many years and has witnessed generations of police officers coming through its doors. It will certainly be different to see it gone,” he said. However, Sivakumar said the redevelopment was necessary to provide police personnel with facilities that better suited the demands of modern policing. “The building has served its purpose for many years, but we also have to look ahead. The new headquarters will provide a better environment and facilities for our personnel to carry out their duties,” he said. IPD PJ Head of Crime Prevention and Community Safety Division DSP Sivakumar Thankaraja. - Facebook pic, September 24, 2026 The Jalan Penchala headquarters has stood alongside Petaling Jaya's transformation from a developing township into one of Selangor's major urban centres. Petaling Jaya was established in the early 1950s as a satellite township to ease overcrowding in Kuala Lumpur. The township expanded rapidly as residential, commercial and industrial areas were developed. As the city grew, so did the responsibilities of IPD PJ, which oversees policing operations in Petaling Jaya, including crime prevention, investigations and community safety. The construction of a new IPD PJ was previously announced as part of the Federal Government's plans to upgrade police infrastructure, with the redevelopment aimed at providing modern facilities for the district police force. For personnel who have spent years at Jalan Penchala, the relocation will also mean adapting to a new working environment while construction takes place. Sivakumar said police operations and public services would continue throughout the transition, with the temporary headquarters at Jalan Templer serving as the operational base until the new facility is completed. “The location will change, but our duties remain the same. We will continue serving the people of Petaling Jaya and ensuring that police services are not disrupted during the transition,” he said. For Sivakumar, the redevelopment carries added significance as he is due to retire next year after a career in the police force. “I will be retiring next year, so I may not get to see the entire redevelopment process. But I believe this is a positive step for the future of IPD PJ. “The next generation of officers will have a new headquarters with better facilities, and that is something we should look forward to,” he said. The Jalan Penchala complex will eventually give way to a new district police headquarters, bringing an end to its long chapter as the operational home of Petaling Jaya police. Until then, the SYM World Building in Jalan Templer will serve as IPD PJ's temporary base as the force prepares for the next phase of its history. — September 24, 2026 The post After 70 years, IPD Petaling Jaya to make way for new police headquarters appeared first on Scoop .