Kuala Lumpur, Feb 22 (IANS): An Indian-origin Sikh officer has been appointed Kuala Lumpur's commissioner of police - the highest police rank achieved by a Sikh in Malaysia, media reports said.

Amar Singh will replace Tajuddin Mohamed, who will move to federal headquarters as the deputy director of commercial CID on March 14, freemalaysiatoday.com reported on Sunday.

Amar Singh held the position of deputy director of CID when his new appointment was announced last week.

According to the Malaysia Samachar website, the highest police rank previously achieved by a Sikh was senior assistant commissioner-I when Santokh Singh became police chief of Selangor state.

Amar Singh's father and maternal grandfather were both policemen. His father Ishar Singh joined the Federated Malay States Police in 1939, a year after coming to Malaya from Punjab.

His maternal grandfather, Bachan Singh, was a constable who joined the force in the early 1900s.