website statistics
feed
Home arrow Bar Forum
Advertisement
Malaysian Bar Forum  


Boardwalk :: Forum List Areas of Practice Constitutional/Administrative Law and Human Rights
Chan Weng Khai
User

Fresh Forumer
Posts: 2
graphgraph
 
 RELA - 2007/06/14 18:58 Yesterday, 13/06/07, a reader wrote to "The Star" expressing his concern over the powers that have been given to RELA members. Does the Bar Council have any comments on this?
  | | The administrator has disabled public write access.
Edmund Bon Tai Soon
User

Junior Forumer
Posts: 72
graphgraph
 
 Re:RELA - 2007/06/15 06:46 Dear Weng Khai

Thanks for the query. At the last AGM, the House passed a resolution calling for the revocation of the state of emergency and consequent abolition of RELA, among others. The Bar also called for the deployment of properly trained professionals in law enforcement in place of RELA.

The resolution is found here: http://www.malaysianbar.org.my/component/option,com_docman/task,doc_details/gid,997/

The Human Rights Committee has been tasked by Council to implement the resolution, and its is on our agenda. We are however in the process of revamping the Committee and carrying out the necessary stock-taking, hence we may need some time on the matter.

Perhaps you may wish to provide some suggestions, and you may email rezib@malaysianbar.org.my with the same.

Thank you for raising the matter.
  | | The administrator has disabled public write access.
Chan Weng Khai
User

Fresh Forumer
Posts: 2
graphgraph
 
 Re:RELA - 2007/06/15 19:19 Dear Edmund,

Implementing the Resolution and taking steps to implement the Resolution is not the same. Someone has brought it up in the newspaper. Meanwhile has the Bar Council issued any statement on this. Is silence an option? By the way, can RELA members be employed as "security" by private corporations?
  | | The administrator has disabled public write access.
Rishwant Singh a/l Amarjeet Singh
User

Fresh Forumer
Posts: 29
graphgraph
 
 Re:RELA - 2007/06/16 16:06 I actually know of certain companies that pay RELA to provide services during certain occasions. They are apparently do so for very competitive rates.
  | | The administrator has disabled public write access.
Edmund Bon Tai Soon
User

Junior Forumer
Posts: 72
graphgraph
 
 Re:RELA - 2007/06/22 22:46 Dear Weng Khai and Rishwant

I looked at the emergency laws which established RELA and they are deemed 'public servants'.

There is a provision in the '66 regulations that penalises RELA members from receiving money or gifts as rewards or inducement to do or forbear to do any act in relation to the affairs of RELA. Punishment is fine or jail or both.

Subject to their contracts of employment and usual restraint clauses, I should see no reason (although undesirable) why they cannot be employed as independent contractors in their personal capacity by private corporations.

I do not believe Council has issued a statement on it but the position from the resolution is quite clear. The more difficult question is what to do next?

A campaign to repeal emergency laws or to disband RELA only? The Government has said the latter is a no-go although they have been quite silent over the former despite taking the literal position in the case of DSAI. The Royal Commission on the Police Force has recommended repeal of EO as well.

The larger picture may be that a campaign to rescind the emergency state of Malaysia may see widespread support from the people (especially during election time) as it is the truth in fact, and should be in law too.
  | | The administrator has disabled public write access.
Hadi Mulyana Citrawijaya B Suyadi
User

Fresh Forumer
Posts: 11
graphgraph
 
 Re:RELA - 2007/06/23 18:01 dear learned friends,

In my opinion, RELA has it own task in our communities as volunteers. But as human they won't escape from a black goat among themselves. I've been in RELA programmes and join several operation involved theft, buglaries and others in my neighbourhood. For me without RELA will be a loss to my community but I agreed that their power restricted only to their officers. Such gratitude from individuals to RELA can be accepted based on their officers discretion as long as it is legal
  | | The administrator has disabled public write access.
Edmund Bon Tai Soon
User

Junior Forumer
Posts: 72
graphgraph
 
 Re:RELA - 2007/06/24 05:58 Dear Hadi

I think the question about RELA raised in the Bar resolution is that it was established under our emergency laws. I do not view our situation today as being under an emergency, and hence I see reason why our emergency laws should be revoked. Correspondingly, that which flowed from those laws are automatically rescinded.

I have no doubt that there are good RELA members and I am sure what you have done with them has benefited society. However, I think we can similarly call for volunteers who are professionally trained in policing and safety to replace RELA once our emergency laws are revoked.

The complaints with RELA merely add to the dissatisfaction that they were established for emergency purposes.
  | | The administrator has disabled public write access.
Boardwalk :: Forum List Areas of Practice Constitutional/Administrative Law and Human Rights

Please abide by the Forum Rules at all times.
Username Password
Remember Me | Register | Lost Password?

Suhakam: Cops guilty of excessive force



View Full Calendar