Perkasa claims Rela special brigade
Perkasa claims that there is now a brigade within Rela (a paramilitary citizen volunteer corps), supposedly approved by the Home Ministry.
This, however, has been denied by the Rela director general and the Deputy Home Minister.
So, who's lying and who's telling the truth?
Whatever the case may be, Perkasa going paramilitary is not something that Walski thinks is at all positive. Call him paranoid, but events of late almost seem like Perkasa has a road map to one day take over the country by force.
The truth, as they say, is out there...
Perkasa recruits Rela members, claims existence of special Rela brigade
Perkasa has moved to take a wider role in its political ! struggle by forming a subgroup within The Peoples Volunteer Corps (Rela) that is exclusively for its members.
Perkasa coordinator, Zainuddin Salleh, revealed to Komunitikini that a Rela subgroup called Briged Setia Negara had been established by Selangor Perkasa chief, Abdullah Mansor, in December last year.
Approval was granted by the Home Ministry in December last year for the establishment of the brigade, claimed Zainuddin. The brigade is formed exclusively for Selangor Perkasa members.
He said those who join Perkasa will be offered the option to enrol in Briged Setia Negara.
A screenshot of Selangor Perkasa website shows that the brigade was announced to its members at a recent event
The brigade, according to him, is no different to Relas other units except in its membership condition.
The uniform and duties given are still the same, he added.
Asked if an Umno member who is not Perkasa member is allowed to join the brigade, Zainuddin said such a person should join Rela directly.
A check on the Selangor Perkasa website confirmed that Perkasa has conducted a briefing on the said brigade during a recent event, with Perkasas Abdullah dressed in Rela uniform.
Komunitikini understands that Abdullah Mansor is a lieutenant in Rela.
Subang Jaya assemblywoman, Hannah Yeoh, had also spotted a Perkasa recruitment banner (below) where members of the public intending to join either Perkasa or Rela are given the numbers of Perkasa members to call.
Since it was established in 1972, the Rela volunteer corps has grown to 2.1 million members and aims to add 400,000 more by the end of this year. Rela has courted controversy in recent years for its involvement in detaining migrant workers.
Of late, Deputy Home Minister Lee Chee Leong and Relas director-general, Zaidon Asmuni have called on non-Malays to join Rela so that the organisation can reflect the countrys plural and multiracial communities.
Lee, when contacted, said he was not aware of the existence of a Perkasa brigade in Rela.
Rela DG: no such thing
Zaidon, on the other hand, dismissed the possibility of Briged Setia Negara existing in Rela.
All Rela members are known as ordinary Rela members except the Briged Orang Asli we have never given special preference to any NGO, including Perkasa, he told Komunitikini, in a text message.
When asked whether the Home Ministry had approved of the setting up of such a unit in Rela, Zaidon clarified in a later text message that Brigade Setia Negara exists in Perkasa but not in Rela.
He said Rela did not segregate members based on certain criteria, but that it is fine for Perkasa to recruit members on behalf of Rela.
Anyone can enrol (as a new Rela member) or help us to enrol new members, so long as he is a Malaysian citizen aged 16 or above.
Even MIC or MCA can help us to recruit new members, there is no issue, he added.
Zaidon did not think Perkasas hardline political background would tarnish what he describes as Relas multiracial image, but he encourages those who want to be Rela members to apply directly via the Rela website, http://irela.moha.gov.my/.
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Leven Woonis a journalist that interested in social justice, community empowerment and democracy. He believes community is where home is laid and caring is shown.
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Perkasa has moved to take a wider role in its political struggle by forming a subgroup within The Peoples Volunteer Corps (Rela) that is exclusively for its members.
Perkasa coordinator, Zainuddin Salleh, revealed to Komunitikini that a Rela subgroup called Briged Setia Negara had been established by Selangor Perkasa chief, Abdullah Mansor, in December last year.
Approval was granted by the Home Ministry in December last year for the establishment of the brigade, claimed Zainuddin. The brigade is formed exclusively for Selangor Perkasa members.
He said those who join Perkasa will be offered the option to enrol in Briged Setia Negara.
The brigade, according to him, is no different to Relas other units except in its membership condition.
The uniform and duties given are still the same, he added.
Asked if an Umno member who is not Perkasa member is allowed to join the brigade, Zainuddin said such a person should join Rela directly.
Read more at komunitikini.comA check on the Selangor Perkasa website confirmed that Perkasa has conducted a briefing on the said brigade during a recent event, with Perkasas Abdullah dressed in Rela uniform.
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