Tan Sri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay retired from his post as Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIGP) on July 26, 2026, concluding nearly 35 years of service in the Royal Malaysian Police [1, 2, 3]. He was appointed DIGP on June 23, 2023, succeeding Tan Sri Razarudin Husain [1, 2, 3].

Following Ayob Khan’s retirement, Datuk Seri Ibrahim Darus, director of the Bukit Aman Special Branch, was named acting Deputy Inspector-General of Police effective the same day [1, 2, 3, 4].

Born on July 27, 1966, in Kota Setar, Kedah, Ayob Khan holds a Master’s degree in Information Technology from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia [1, 2, 3]. Originally aiming for a career in banking, he joined the police force in 1991 after a friend’s persuasion [5, 6].

Over his career, Ayob Khan held key leadership positions including head of the Special Branch Counter-Terrorism Division, Johor police chief, Director of the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department, and Director of the Criminal Investigation Department before becoming DIGP [1, 2, 3, 4].

He consistently emphasized integrity and accountability. “If you lose your money, you lose nothing. If you lose your house, you lose something. If you lose your character, you lose everything,” he said, underscoring his strict stance against corruption and favoritism [7]. He warned that misconduct must be addressed firmly regardless of rank, stating, "We have to do what is right, even though it is difficult, even though it is not popular" [6, 4].

Ayob Khan highlighted the need for independent law enforcement free from political interference, noting arrest actions against politically linked individuals during his tenure. He said, "If you cross the line of the law, arrest. Only then will people respect the police force" [4].

Around May 2026, he proposed reviewing the police’s top leadership structure to better align roles with workload and suggested regrading the deputy IGP position from JUSA A to Turus 3 [8, 9, 6].

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi praised Ayob Khan’s service and sacrifice, saying, "I pray that Tan Sri will always be blessed with good health, that all your affairs will be eased, and that you will continue to have opportunities to contribute your experience and wisdom to the nation in whatever role you undertake after this" [10].

Ayob Khan has stated he has no interest in entering politics after retirement, drawing a clear line between politicians and statesmen [4].