Sarawak Rela ordered to give ‘undivided support’ to BN

Sarawak PKR has described calls to Rela members to help Barisan Nasional win in the state as 'immoral'.

KUCHING: The neutrality of paramilitary volunteer corp, Rela, in Sarawak has come under question following a recent “immoral” order by a top ranking officer urging its members to support Barisan Nasional.

Sarawak has 300,000 Rela members stationed in 32 districts.Nationwide, there are 3.2 million members.

At a function in Julau district, Rela officer Lieutenant Colonel (Rela) Moses Sipan reportedly told Rela members that the government had allocated some RM400 million in the 2013 budget for the corp.

“This huge sum shows the government’s confidence in Rela.

“Therefore as a show of our appreciation we must give our undivided support to BN in the coming general election,” he said.

Julau has about 8,000 Rela members. The constituency is currently held by Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) vice-president Joseph Salang, who is also a deputy minister in the federal cabinet.

Sipan’s call to Rela members in Julau is also seen as an ‘order’ to all Rela members in Sarawak. The directive has irked the opposition in Julau constituency and the state.

Slamming Sipan, state PKR chief Baru Bian said: “This is wrong. It is immoral and politically wrong for them to do that.

“Rela is not a political party. It is a voluntary organisation and funded by the rakyat’s money.

“You don’t use this kind of voluntary organisation to strengthen your political influence.”

Bian, who is Ba Kelalan state rep, also criticised Kanowit MP Aaron Dagang and BN politicians for ‘intimidating’ members of Rela and coercing them into supporting BN.

Dagang had, in a separate gathering, also reportedly told 4,146 Rela members in Kanowit to give their undivided support to Barisan Nasional in the coming election.

He said that their votes would not only let the BN retain the Kanowit parliamentary seat, but also win with a big majority.

“We want the BN to win and form the next government because we want to ensure continuous development here and in other places.

“I believe this can be done if we give BN our support in the coming election,” said Dagang, who is tipped to defend the seat on behalf of PRS.

Both Julau and Kanowit constituencies are under pressure from rival Sarawak Workers Party which is determined to purge PRS from these seats.

SWP has also pledged to wrest four other constituencies from PRS namely Selangau, Sri Aman, Lubok Antu dan Hulu Rajang.