Rela Bill will unleash a 'monster'

Fauwaz Abdul Aziz Dec 6, 07 7:30pm

Proposed legislation to enable people's volunteer corps Rela to be operated under a department, as part of efforts to expand its powers, is being seen as disastrous for human rights - especially those of migrant workers and refugees.

Civil society organisations have teamed up to object to the Rela Bill which is due to be tabled in Parliament next week.

At a press conference in the Parliament lobby today, several leaders pointed out the long list of allegations and reports of abuses and violations levelled against Rela members.

These range from arbitrary searches, arrests and detentions, physical and sexual abuse, to forced entry into private homes and robbery, they said, disagreeing with the government's contention that the bill would help improve management of migrants and refugees.

Another key point made is that Rela's 450,000 volunteers undergo very little training and are not closely monitored or supervised by any governmental body.

"You will be unleashing a monster that you cannot control," PKR vice-president R Sivarasa said.
He was among several Barisan Nasional and opposition leaders who accepted a memorandum today on the Rela Bill, submitted by the Civil Rights Committee of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, Suaram, Tenaganita and Hakam.

The memorandum calls for Rela to be disbanded instead of being given additional powers; improvements to police and immigration officers' training to better handle matters of migrant workers and refugees, as well as domestic security; and for endorsement of the relevant international human rights conventions.

It also urges the Home Ministry, under which the volunteer corps is placed, to submit to Parliament regular reports on the raids, arrests and detentions carried out.

An appeals committee should also be set up so that alleged victims of abuse of power and violations of human rights can channel complaints, which can then be documented.

On the government's rationale of using Rela members to make up for the lack of police and immigration personnel, Suaram executive director Yap Swee Seng said such reasoning is similar to hiring St John's volunteer paramedics to carry out medical operations or other functions in hospitals.

He also cautioned that relations with neighbouring countries will worsen as a result of alleged abuse of various nationals by Malaysian security personnel.

"We hope all parliamentarians will raise the issue in Parliament and (reject) the bill, or it will lead to more human rights violations and further ruin our relationship with our own neighbours," said Yap.

'Disappointing reply'

DAP publicity secretary and Seputeh parliamentarian Teresa Kok said she would raise the matter in Parliament when the Rela bill comes up for debate.

She pointed out that her attempt in August to get the Home Ministry to address complaints raised against Rela had resulted in a disappointing reply which, in effect, dismissed them as mere allegations.

According to Kok, the ministry said no official complaint had been lodged regarding any Rela member or alleged abuse of power, and that no Rela member has been charged for violations committed during such operations.

"This is a brutal, fake, and very untruthful answer," said Kok.

She added that her application to Speaker Ramli Ngah Talib to refer the ministry to the Privileges Committee for 'misleading' the House had fallen on deaf ears.

Because of this, Kok said she will seek a RM10 cut from the proposed budget allocation for Rela to express dissatisfaction with the corps.

"I hope there will be more MPs, especially from BN, who will support this motion so that we can highlight this problem and reject the Rela bill," she said.

Minister in the Parliament's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz, who chairs the Parliamentary Human Rights Caucus, received the memorandum on behalf of the Home Ministry. He did not comment on its contents.

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