Mohd Dalila Mansor, a pioneering Malaysian scuba instructor who helped establish a police combat diving unit and became the first RAID Instructor Examiner in Asia, has died just days after retiring from a 40-year career with the Royal Malaysia Police.
The retired sub-inspector died on 5 October 2026 at Pulau Perhentian in Terengganu, Malaysia. He was 59.
His death was acknowledged by Malaysian Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, who paid tribute to his decades of police service and his internationally recognised contribution to diving instruction.
For Malaysia’s diving community, Mohd Dalila leaves a legacy that reaches well beyond his distinguished career in law enforcement. He helped develop specialist underwater capabilities within the police, trained generations of divers and worked to make professional scuba qualifications more accessible to Malaysians.
From Police Commando to Diving Pioneer
Born on 1 October 1967 in Kampung Sungai Raya, Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan, Mohd Dalila joined the Royal Malaysia Police and went on to serve for 22 years with the elite 69 Commando unit, also known as VAT 69.
His introduction to scuba diving came at the age of 20, during a period when the unit did not yet have a dedicated combat diving capability.
Rather than wait for an official training programme, Mohd Dalila and five fellow officers paid for their own instruction at Sea Venture Dive Centre in Ipoh, Perak.
Their determination eventually helped establish the 69 Commando combat diving unit in 1990, with Mohd Dalila and his colleagues taking responsibility for teaching police personnel the techniques required for underwater operations.
In a 2021 interview published by the Royal Malaysia Police, he recalled how that initial investment in training developed into a specialist capability within one of Malaysia’s most demanding police units.
His operational experience also included underwater reconnaissance during police operations in Sabah, where diving skills formed part of specialist law enforcement activities.
A Landmark Achievement in Diving Education
Mohd Dalila’s influence eventually extended beyond police diving into the international scuba training community.
In 2012, he received recognition as an instructor trainer through RAID, the Rebreather Association of International Divers.
He subsequently achieved recognition as an Instructor Examiner, becoming the ninth person internationally and the first in Asia to hold that distinction, according to his account published by the Royal Malaysia Police.
The qualification allowed him to assess and certify instructors progressing through advanced professional training.
It was a significant achievement for a Malaysian diving professional at a time when access to high-level instructor education remained limited in parts of the region.
His contribution was not simply obtaining an internationally recognised qualification. He wanted to create opportunities for other Malaysians to follow the same path.
Building Malaysia’s Next Generation of Instructors
Through his training operation, DM Skuba, based at the Kuala Lumpur Police Training Centre, Mohd Dalila worked to develop domestic diving expertise and reduce reliance on overseas instructors.
The centre offered classroom and swimming-pool training, with open-water assessments commonly conducted around Pulau Perhentian.
In an October 2024 interview with Malaysian publication Majoriti, he spoke about the shortage of highly qualified Malaysian scuba instructors and the importance of developing local teaching expertise.
He believed professional training should be more accessible to people who wanted to pursue diving, whether as a recreational activity or a career.
His approach reflected a career spent treating diving as a skill requiring discipline, technical competence and careful attention to safety.
He also shared his knowledge through a book, Penyelaman Perairan 20 Meter, published in 2015 as a guide for people interested in underwater exploration.
A Legacy Across Two Professions
Alongside his years with 69 Commando, Mohd Dalila served in several branches of the Royal Malaysia Police, including narcotics investigation, integrity and standards compliance, and general operations.
He completed 40 years of police service on 1 October 2026, only four days before his death.
In his tribute, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail recognised both his contribution to national security and the international recognition he had earned as a diving professional.
Mohd Dalila’s commitment to diving also extended into his family. His son, Muhammad Nur Amir Mohd Dalila, followed him into the profession as a RAID instructor.
His daughter, Nuramalina Mohd Dalila, and son survive him.
For the diving industry, his story illustrates the influence that one committed instructor can have over several decades.
From six police officers funding their own training to the establishment of a combat diving unit and the development of internationally qualified Malaysian instructors, Mohd Dalila helped create opportunities that continued long after his first underwater training course.
His contribution to Malaysian diving education, professional standards and the wider scuba community forms an important part of his legacy.
The Scuba News extends its condolences to his family, friends, former colleagues and the many divers and instructors whose careers he helped shape.
