Opposition do not appreciate role of Rela
KOTA KINABALU: The role of the People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) appears unappreciated or taken seriously by the opposition, claims Datuk Seri Panglima Abdul Rahman Dahlan, the caretaker Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.
He said the opposition, particularly Democratic Action Party (DAP) leaders who live in urban areas, do not appear to understand the role of Rela as an organization to ensure the safety of villages, housing areas and programmes.
“They appear to belittle the role of Rela. They do not appreciate Rela. To them, Rela do not need to be taken seriously, nor are they important,” Abdul Rahman claimed.
Abdul Rahman, who is contesting the Sepanggar parliamentary seat, noted that the opposition in their manifesto had stated the creation of a voluntary movement at the village level.
“This would appear to indicate that they do not trust Rela... giving the impression that Rela is an unprofessional security or government body. They think Rela is a trivial organization,” he said, when gracing a programme with Rela personnel here yesterday.
In the Barisan Nasional’s (BN) manifesto, Abdul Rahman said, the coalition has pledged to expand the role of Rela to prevent crimes at crime-prone areas such as the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone) and housing estates.
He said, the caretaker Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Home Affairs, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, had wanted a strong statement to be included in the BN manifesto in appreciation of the commitment of Rela.
“I believe Rela is an important organ of BN to protect our security,” said Abdul Rahman, while also pledging to assist Rela in their needs.