RELA TARGETS 2.5 MLN MEMBERS BY 2012

Bernama - Monday, July 6

SEREMBAN, July 5 (Bernama) -- The People's Volunteer Corps (Rela) is set to increase its membership five-fold to 2.5 million by 2012, with the additional members to come from not only among the Malays but also the Chinese, Indians and others.

Rela director-general Datuk Zaidon Asmuni said today the government felt that Rela was a voluntary organisation made up of people of all races, backgrounds, occupations and so on.

This would help to strengthen unity among the people in line with the 1Malaysia concept initiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, he told reporters after a shooting skills test for Negeri Sembilan Rela members at the Mantin shooting range near here.

Zaidon said more women would also be recruited as members.

-- BERNAMA

Upgrade of Rela training centres

SEREMBAN: Rela training centres nationwide will be upgraded to ensure members are better trained and able to play their role effectively to help maintain the nation's security.

Its director-general, Datuk Zaidon Asmuni, said at present there were only four training centres nationwide and it was their target to establish one in each state in the near future.

He added Rela aimed to provide members with the best training available to ensure they were well prepared to carry out their duties and also able to take on new challenges.