Sunday, December 29, 2013

Public urged to be aware of bogus Rela personnel


KUALA LUMPUR: Foreign workers are to beware of bogus People's Volunteer Corps (Rela) personnel conducting unauthorised raids and arrests in the city centre.

MCA Public Services and Complaints Bureau chairman Datuk Michael Chong had received complaints from local vendors and businessmen regarding phony Rela personnel dressed in normal attire arresting foreigners near their workplace.

The so called ‘Rela personnel’ and another unidentified individual, were caught on a closed-circuit-television (CCTV) recording on Dec 6, escorting a foreigner into a van in a supposed ‘arrest’.

These fake Rela officers would go around foreign worker hot spots like Complex Kotaraya and question them on their legitimacy in working here by asking for paperwork or permits.

If failed to comply would subject to an ‘arrest’. 

Michael spoke to Kuala Lumpur CID chief Datuk Ku Chin Wah and received information that the police have conducted sanctioned raids or Ops Sapu in the areas of Jalan Silang and Complex Kotaraya but had no help from Rela.

“We fully support the capture to decrease illegal workers in the city but it must be done by the right authority which is the police and not by phony Rela officers.

“Rela has no jurisdiction to conduct raids and arrest people, that is done solely by the police,” added Michael.

Foreign workers are urged to be vigilant and ask for identification if confronted by these suspicious individuals or call the Kuala Lumpur Rakan Cop Hotline 03-21159999 for more information.


A CCTV footage showing a man being escorted to a van by bogus Rela personnel. Pix by Asyraf Hamzah.





MCA Public Services and Complaints Bureau chairman Datuk Michael Chong (second from left) in a PC to address the arrest of foreign workers by a group of individuals masquerading as Rela personnel at Wisma MCA, Kuala Lumpur. Pix by Asyraf Hamzah


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