Police in Traditional Headwear: Riau Regional Police Embrace Cultural Identity
Riau Regional Police Chief Inspector General Herry Heryawan has issued a policy requiring all personnel to wear the tanjak and selendang (traditional sash) every Friday. Far from being merely symbolic, the adoption of these traditional items represents a new identity for Riau Regional Police personnel, reinforcing the slogan ‘Guarding Honour and Protecting Dignity’.
The use of the tanjak and sash within the Riau Regional Police was officially launched on Friday, 20 February 2026, during a roll call led by the Head of Human Resources Bureau, Senior Commissioner Boy Jeckson Situmorang. All personnel across Riau Regional Police headquarters and 12 district police stations down to sub-district level simultaneously donned the tanjak and sash.
The tanjak is a traditional Malay head covering made from songket or woven cloth, folded using a special technique. It symbolises dignity, honour, wisdom, and the courage of Malay men.
In his address, Senior Commissioner Boy stated that the policy requiring all Riau Regional Police personnel to wear the tanjak and sash represents the police force’s love for local culture, in line with the directives of Riau Police Chief Inspector General Herry Heryawan.
“Riau Police Chief Inspector General Herry Heryawan has always instilled in all of us, his members, the importance of respecting local wisdom and culture,” said Boy Situmorang.
The traditional attire is compulsory for the entire force of approximately 11,000 personnel across Riau Regional Police and its 12 district and city police stations every Friday. The policy is a cultural approach strategy initiated by the Riau Police Chief.
“The tanjak should not be regarded as merely a cultural attribute — it is more than that. It is our pride as members of the police force serving in Riau,” he said.
Riau Malay Customary Institution Expresses Appreciation
The Riau Malay Customary Institution (LAMR) expressed its appreciation to Riau Regional Police for launching the use of the traditional tanjak and sash for all its personnel. The policy was regarded as a concrete step in safeguarding dignity and preserving Malay culture amid the currents of globalisation.
The Chairman of the LAMR Daily Executive Board, Datuk Seri H. Taufik Ikram Jamil, expressed his pride whilst attending the launch event held at Riau Regional Police Headquarters in Pekanbaru on Friday, 20 February 2026. He noted that the choice of the tanjak and sash was not merely an aesthetic uniform decision but a deeply symbolic choice reflecting values of honour.
“We are greatly heartened by what Riau Regional Police has done. Firstly, because Riau Regional Police has chosen an extraordinary symbol — a matter of dignity that must be safeguarded collectively — namely the tanjak and sash,” said Datuk Seri H. Taufik Ikram Jamil at Riau Regional Police Headquarters in Pekanbaru.
Amidst the challenges of an era demanding cultural adaptation, Riau Regional Police has emerged as a pioneer amongst other central government institutions in officially implementing local wisdom.
“As an institution tasked with preserving culture, we note that this is the first vertical institution to attempt to explore, apply, and implement what constitutes the pride of Riau Malay heritage through the tanjak,” he affirmed.