AFP - Thursday, July 30
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - - Malaysia's plan to deploy personnel from
a notorious volunteer task force to help enforce a crackdown on
crime triggered criticism Thursday from human rights
campaigners.
The New Straits Times said the home ministry had enlisted 254
members from the Civil Defence Department and RELA, a
553,000-strong citizen corps that has been accused of serious
rights abuses.
The report described the personnel as the "cream of the crop"
and said they were undergoing a two-week training programme before
being assigned to crime hot spots next month.
However, rights groups said that RELA officers were unsuited to
the task, and called for the closure of the unit which has been
accused of violence and extortion, particularly against suspected
illegal migrants.
"They shouldn't be given enforcement power because they are
volunteers -- they are not trained, and have no background in law
or how to handle criminals," said Temme Lee from leading rights
watchdog Suaram.
"We have made it clear from the beginning that RELA should be
disbanded and the use of RELA corps with barely any training in law
and enforcement will lead to more rights abuses," she told AFP.
Amnesty International Malaysia also spoke out against the
plan.
"Why don't we hire more police instead? We should stop this
temporary measure," said its Malaysia executive director Nora
Murat.
The US-based Human Rights Watch has accused RELA of harassing
and abusing foreigners and said it was responsible for numerous
cases of illegal detention.
Prime Minister Najib Razak this week announced a plan to cut
crime by 20 percent, as part of a raft of populist measures.
Spiralling street crime, including violent muggings, is a major
concern for Malaysians, according to opinion polls.
RELA's uniformed volunteers have legal immunity and are
allowed to arrest individuals as well as enter and search any
premises without a warrant.
The force was established in 1972 under the home affairs
ministry to help maintain public order. Its name is an acronym for
People's Volunteer Corps in the Malay language.