Rela to be stripped of guns, power

Rela is here to stay. But its members will not be allowed to carry guns or arrest anyone.

KUALA LUMPUR: Under a new law, the People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) will no longer be allowed to carry firearms or have enforcement powers.

Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein told reporters this after his ministry presented the Malaysia Volunteer Corps Bill 2012 for first reading in Parliament today.

The apparent lack of powers, the minister said, stemmed from various public complaints against Rela in the past.

The minister insisted that the new Bill would make Rela, which currently has a membership of 2.93 million, more relevant than ever.

“We do listen to the public. When I first came into the ministry, [there were] complaints regarding Rela on the use of powers that existed in the Act before.

“… these are the points raised by the public, and we have taken their views into account, when preparing the new Bill [to be] presented in Parliament,” he said.

The minister said that Rela had increased powers in more “relevant areas” under the new legislation.

According to him, these areas included the training of Rela members, their respective welfare, the national agenda (where the National Key Result Areas were concerned), the ability to work with both other ministries and even MPs.

“In that sense, I think it has actually empowered Rela more than curtailed its powers,” he said.

According to a document provided by the ministry, the new Bill included:

• specifying Rela’s role and ability;

• setting the minimum joining age at 18;

• removing enforcement powers and the right to carry firearms;

• allowing Rela members to divert traffic; and

• allowing Rela members to assist any security force or authority established under written law upon the latter’s request.

Rela was previously established under the Emergency Ordinance, which was repealed following Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s reform promises.

In the past, the organisation had come under criticism for supposed abuse and improper practices.

Foreigners and migrant workers had often complained about the rough treatment allegedly meted to them by Rela members.

Previously, the Bar Council asked for the government to disband Rela following these complaints.