Datuk Seri Najib Razak today issued an open warning to would-be demonstrators, saying that the paramilitary People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) was ready to defend the country from turmoil.
Speaking in front of an estimated 20,000 Rela members here, the prime minister pledged his administration’s commitment to look after the interests and welfare of the corps.
“When the chips are down, Rela will be with this government to defend the country.
“Do not cause havoc in this country because the 2.8 million Rela members will not stand idly by and watch the country descend into chaos,” he said to a chorus of approval from the audience.
Najib pointed out that the government allowed peaceful demonstration in accordance with the recently-passed Peaceful Assembly Act, but maintained that the country’s peace and security was his administration’s utmost priority.
He acknowledged Rela’s past contributions to the country and said that the time had come to escalate its role and function in society.
“We are looking at the current Act, and a new Act will be tabled to Parliament soon,” said the PM.
“We want to see a cleaning up of Rela’s organisational structure, a new image...Rela has to become more professional, its image can be upgraded,” said Najib.
He told Rela members here that the country faced “new threats” like drugs and human trafficking, and that the corps will play a pivotal part in tackling these threats.
“Peace, national security, has to go back to the will of the people... the will of the people is seen through the chosen government, why it is chosen by the people, legitimate,” he added.
Najib’s administration came under widespread condemnation for its clampdown on the Bersih 2.0 rally for electoral reform in July last year, which saw nearly 2,000 arrested leading up to and during the march.
But authorities allowed opposition supporters to gather at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on January 9 in support of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim ahead of the verdict for his sodomy charge.
Today, Najib also announced an additional allowance of RM2 per hour for Rela officers, and said that the government’s goal was to “strengthen” Rela as an organisation.
comments
have no doubt. soon malaysia will be a police state then a communist one....Global movement of moderates my ass. Mr Najib, you your self is not a moderate, and here trying to fool the world. Poodah....
He seems to have lost his senses. RELA is a voluntary force made up of those who couldn't make into the army or police force for more than one reason. Many of them belong toruling party. Earlier he was quoted as saying martial exponents were going to defend our country from chaos. Now it is rela. Then what? Pensioners? Something clearly wrong here.
Rela is a corrupt group of volunteers and licensed gangsters. I saw them in action during a raid at a construction site in Ipoh. Many of these volunteers demanded RM50 from the illegal foreign workers for their release on the spot. This is a common practice. Wake up Najib, you are using tax payers' money to buy votes!
RELA has 2.8 million members. There's no way the govt can train them in the basics of law enforcement of civil defence. If it takes just ten man hours to train one, that will come up to 3,297 years to train the whole lot. No way, So RELA remains an untrained and indisciplined paid volunteer force.That's dangerously close to vigilante actions. And Najib wants them to keep the peace. How come RELA cannot contain any Umno-initiated acts of hooliganism?
And now Najib increase their pay by RM2 per hour, that's RM5.6million per hour The real reason for beefing up RELA with such big numbers of unemployed and untrained personnel is perhaps to add them to BN's vote bank. BN need less than an extra 2.8 million votes to win the GE13.
Why use only RELA then, how about the Tarik Kereta fellas, Ah Longs, Mat Rempits, just to name a few.
What democracy our beloved country is turning to now?
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