"RELA" is the acronym of Ikatan Relawan Rakyat Malaysia (in English: Volunteers of Malaysian People). Rela Corps is a paramilitary civil volunteer corps formed by the Malaysian government. Their main duty is to check the traveling documents and immigration permits of foreigners in Malaysian cities, including tourists, visitors and migrants to reduce the increasing rate of illegal immigrants in Malaysia. RELA has the authority to deal with situations like policemen, such as raiding suspected streets or places such as factories, restaurants and even hotels. They are also fully authorized to conduct the interrogation and even detaining people who forgot to bring their traveling documents, like passports and/or working permits. Besides that they are also tasked with security works at times. During times of war, they are absorbed into the Malaysian Army as support groups despite their law enforcing duties. They are also tasked to do SAR works if needed.
Given only basic training, this civil corps is sometimes equipped with firearms, making many cases of power abuse by this civil corps such as killing people in the street and beheading foreigners. Many cases in Malaysia the RELA volunteers, abused their power, which created trauma for foreign visitors in Malaysia, have caused RELA Corps to be listed in the Human Rights Watch.
Our neighborhood is RELA-guarded area. They called it a "neighborhood watch" force and the team is made up from those that stay within the neighborhood.
I encountered them tonite as I was on my way out for a late supper with my family.
I feel safer with those guys around. Not too long ago, my mum was "snatched' of her necklace infront of our own house. No one was around during the material time, so the "good looking" guy got away with the loot. He got lucky that day.
Somehow, they followed my mum from somewhere before pulling off the daring robbery in broad daylight.
There was one time, our next door neighbor's house was broken into by thieves but they got away with nothing. The folks were away at another house, hard luck thieves!
I have not join them till now but I intend to do so if required as part of my commitment towards a safer and a more friendlier neighborhood where everyone of us could bring up our children in a better environment.
Posted by SD
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