KUALA LUMPUR: Big role for Rela personnel in Esszone
Rela director-general Zulkifli Abidin. — Sunpix by Shahrill Basri
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KUALA LUMPUR: The People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) will undertake a pivotal role in safeguarding national security in its new task of assisting security forces in guarding the borders of Sabah and Sarawak.
Some 650 Rela personnel will be the “third line of defence” to assist the police and armed forces to check on intruders.
The initiative was mooted by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi during Rela’s 45th anniversary celebration last year.
Rela director-general Zulkifli Abidin said the exercise, that commenced on Jan 1, puts Rela members as additional “eyes and ears” of security forces.
“The volunteers are locals living in the districts and are familiar with the terrain and other villagers. This is an advantage as they can detect suspicious activities and unusual changes in their respective areas when they carry out patrols. This information will then be relayed to the police or armed forces for further action.”
He said Rela personnel will be on duty around-the-clock on shifts at 21 areas in 10 districts at the East Sabah Security Zone (Esszone) and 12 locations in seven districts.
There are currently 504 Rela personnel in Sabah and 144 in Sarawak, comprising men and women of multiple races.
“Hopefully, with the increased presence, illegal activities such as smuggling and terrorism can be deterred. To prepare our personnel, they will undergo special training conducted by Rela and various agencies, including the army. They will learn things like crisis management, security and threats faced within the area and how to effectively report it.”
Zulkifli said Rela members who will conduct independent and joint patrols with security forces will not be issued firearms as they are not frontline personnel.
COURTESY:
THE DAILY SUN
Posted on 5 January 2018 – 12:10am
Charles Ramendran
[email protected]
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