Malaysia Volunteers Corps Department

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Malaysia Volunteers Corps Department
Jabatan Sukarelawan Malaysia
CountryFlag of Malaysia.svg Malaysia
AllegianceFlag of Malaysia.svg Malaysia
Branch Ministry of Home Affairs (Malaysia)
TypeCivilian Organization
Role Military reserve
Auxiliary police
Security police
Border control
Size3,064,456
Motto(s)To serve faithfully
MarchGema RELA
Engagements Malaysian Emergency as the Home Guard
Commanders
Minister of Home Affairs (Malaysia) Saifuddin Nasution
Director-GeneralYahya bin Sulaiman

The People's Volunteer Corps (Malay : Jabatan Sukarelawan Malaysia), abbreviated RELA, officially the Malaysia Volunteers Corps Department, is a civil volunteer corps [1] formed by the Malaysian government. Their roles include: helping to spread awareness of government policies to the public; assisting other government agencies in carrying out duties; conducting local social and socio-economic activities; and developing human capital through trainings that are appropriate. [2]

Contents

RELA has limited authority to raid suspected streets or places, such as factories, restaurants or hotels, and may interrogate or detain people who do not have travel documents, such as passports or work permits, on their person. They are also in charge of security, are absorbed into the Malaysian Army as minor support groups during times of war, and are tasked with search and rescue work if really needed.[ citation needed ]

On 17 March 2020, the Malaysian Government announced that RELA would assist the Royal Malaysian Police and Malaysian Armed Forces to enforce the Movement Control Order until the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. [3]

History

Member of Malaysia Volunteers Corps. Putrajaya Malaysia Member-of-Malaysia-Peoples-Volunteer-Corps-04.jpg
Member of Malaysia Volunteers Corps.

The People's Volunteer Corps is closely related to the Home Guard that was established when the Malayan Emergency was declared in 1948, and was dissolved when the Emergency ended on 31 July 1960. Its original purpose was to oppose communist fighters, [4] and now acts against illegal immigrants. There are 2.8 million people in the corps, most of whom are untrained volunteers. [4] In 2008, RELA was given charge of immigration detention centres. [5]

Personnel

Officers in Kuching, the state capital of Sarawak on Borneo. RELA officers in Kuching, Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia.jpg
Officers in Kuching, the state capital of Sarawak on Borneo.

Strength

Personnel

Overall3,064,456 [6]
PlatoonsTBA
Male1,825,421
Female1,239,035

Ranks

Rank groupGeneral / flag officersSenior officersJunior officers
Flag of Malaysia.svg The People's Volunteer Corps
RELA OF9.png RELA OF8.png RELA OF7.png RELA OF6.png RELA OF5.png RELA OF4.png RELA OF3.png RELA OF2.png RELA OF1B.png RELA OF1A.png
Chief Commissioner
Ketua Pesuruhjaya		Deputy Chief Commissioner
Timbalan Ketua Pesuruhjaya		 Commissioner
Pesuruhjaya		 Deputy Commissioner
Timbalan Pesuruhjaya		Senior Assistant Commissioner
Penolong Pesuruhjaya Kanan		 Assistant Commissioner
Penolong Pesuruhjaya		 Superintendent
Penguasa		Senior Deputy Superintendent
Timbalan Penguasa Kanan		 Deputy Superintendent
Timbalan Penguasa Kanan		Senior Assistant Superintendent
Penolong Penguasa Kanan
Rank groupSenior NCOsJunior NCOsEnlisted
Flag of Malaysia.svg The People's Volunteer Corps
RELA OR9.png RELA OR8.png RELA OR7.png RELA OR6.png RELA OR4.png RELA OR3.png
Assistant Superintendent I
Penolang Penguasa I		Assistant Superintendent II
Penolong Penguasa II		Superior Officer I
Pegawal tinggi I		Superior Officer II
Pegawal tinggi II		Senior Officer I
Pegawal Kanan I		Senior Officer II
Pegawal Kanan II

Weapons & equipments

Weapons

•T-baton

Equipment

•Walkie-talkie model Motorola,Kenwood Corporation and Baofeng UV-5R

Criticism

The Human Rights Watch has called for People's Volunteer Corps to be dissolved, accusing it of violating human rights, conducting illegal raids and extortions. [7]

According to the United Nations Human Development Report of 2009, "Migrant activists say that RELA volunteers have become vigilantes, planting evidence to justify arrests of migrants and using excessive force in their policing. The government has recently announced its intention to curb abuses and is currently looking into ways of improving RELA by providing training to its members." [8]

References

  1. ↑ "My RELA". My Rela. 13 November 2017. Archived from the original on 17 January 2018. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  2. ↑ Ministry of Internal Affairs (2022). "Fungsi dan tugas RELA".
  3. ↑ Jumain, Mohammad Fairuz (18 March 2020). "Rela, PDRM diberi kuasa laksana Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan".
  4. 1 2 Mydans, Seth (10 December 2007). "A Growing Source of Fear for Migrants in Malaysia". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  5. ↑ Garcés-Mascareñas, Blanca (1 January 2012). Labour Migration in Malaysia and Spain: Markets, Citizenship and Rights. Amsterdam University Press. p. 100. ISBN   9789089642868.
  6. ↑ MyRela Archived 17 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine Volunteer strength Nov 2017, accessed 13 Nov 2017
  7. ↑ "Malaysia: Disband Abusive Volunteer Corps". Human Rights Watch. 10 May 2007. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  8. ↑ "Human Development Report 2009" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 January 2014.

Further reading

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