do away with RELA!!

"The government has set up what’s little more than a vigilante force to target foreigners. Given RELA’s repeated abuses, it should be disbanded right away. "
– Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch (HRW).

that’s right. there was a call from HRW to the malaysian government to disband RELA (people’s volunteer corps), as reported in the star, and from HRW’s website itself.

the reason HRW wants RELA to be disbanded is because they feel RELA often "employed unnecessary force and policing activities" in carrying out their duties."  in other words, RELA had abused their powers, especially to do with migrant workers.

naturally, RELA’s director general zaidon asmuni dismissed HRH’s allegations as baseless.

as for me, sure i agree with HRH. i’m sure most of us do too. we have heard so often of many stories of how RELA members had abused their power. i had blogged about it numerous times too, like the part where RELA members raided several households in cheras.  i can still remember one case where RELA members ordered some migrant workers to walk like a duck as a punishment. at one stage someone was thinking of recruiting RELA members to help the police in curbing crimes especially snatch thieves by letting them patrol the streets. god helped us if they do!!

HRW’s concern was more on migrant workers…

In carrying out their duties, RELA volunteers often employ unnecessary force and illegal policing practices. Fully uniformed, armed, and unaccompanied by police or immigration officers, they break into migrant lodgings in the middle of the night without warrants, brutalize inhabitants, extort money, and confiscate cell phones, clothing, jewelry, and household goods, before handcuffing migrants and transporting them to detention camps for “illegal immigrants.” 

… and HRW had highlighted a few cases that happened this year. remember to visit it’s site to read about it.