RELA: Malaysia Volunteers Corps

You may have seen them in uniform directing traffic during a rally or a disaster — but what exactly can, and cannot, a RELA member do under the law?

What is RELA and where does it come from?

RELA is a civilian volunteer corps administered under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Its roots can be traced to the Essential (Ikatan Relawan Rakyat) Regulations 1966 [P.U. 33/66] — and the abbreviation “RELA” itself derives from that older name — which is still referred to in the saving provision (section 28) of its current law.

Today, RELA is established and operates under the Malaysia Volunteers Corps Act 2012 (Act 752) — “An Act to provide for the establishment, duties and powers of the Malaysia Volunteers Corps and to provide for matters connected therewith.” Section 3 establishes the Malaysia Volunteers Corps (RELA), and section 2 defines “Malaysia Volunteers Corps” or “RELA” as the volunteer corps established under the Act.

The Act received Royal Assent on 22 June 2012, was published in the Gazette on 25 June 2012, and came into force on 22 June 2012 (section 1(2)). According to the updated online reprint text of the Attorney General’s Chambers — as at 1 July 2024 — the latest listed amendment is P.U. (A) 165/2024 (Malaysia Volunteers Corps (Amendment of Schedule) Order 2024), which took effect on 1 July 2024 and amended the Schedule. The earlier amendment, P.U. (A) 291/2013, took effect on 22 September 2013 and also amended the Schedule.

What are RELA’s duties and powers under the law?

Part III of Act 752 clearly separates duties from powers. Section 5 lists the duties of every officer and member; section 6 confers the only specific power in the Act.

Provision	Duty or power
S.5(1)(a)	To assist any security force or authority established under a written law, when requested
S.5(1)(b)	To render assistance to the relevant authority in controlling and diverting motor vehicles
S.5(1)(c)	To take part in community service
S.5(1)(d)	To assist in protecting buildings, installations or property of the Federal/State Government, statutory bodies, or private property when requested by the owner
S.5(1)(e)	To carry out the orders and directions of the Director General consistent with the Act
S.6	Power to divert motor vehicles on roads, streets and places to which the public has access

Importantly: section 5(3) provides that when carrying out duties under 5(1)(a), RELA officers and members shall be under the command of the officer of the force or the security authority present at the scene. Likewise, the power to divert vehicles (section 6(2)) is exercised under the command of the police officer or traffic warden present at the scene.

Can RELA arrest or carry weapons?

No. Act 752 contains no provision granting RELA members the power of arrest or the power to bear firearms. Its role is assistive and under the control of the lead agency.

As a counterbalance to that responsibility, section 25 deems RELA officers and members to be public servants within the meaning of the Penal Code [Act 574] while carrying out their duties, while section 26 applies the Public Authorities Protection Act 1948 [Act 198] to any act done in good faith.

What is RELA’s role in immigration operations?

Immigration enforcement in Malaysia rests with the Immigration Department, which enforces the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155), the Passports Act 1966 (Act 150), and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (Act 670). RELA does not have its own immigration enforcement powers; it takes part in operations against undocumented migrants (PATI) only as an assisting force under section 5(1)(a), subject to the command of the authorised agency present. Consistent with this transitional character, section 28 of Act 752 preserves officers and members appointed under the Essential (Ikatan Relawan Rakyat) Regulations 1966 as officers and members under the new Act.

Who can become a member, and what are the offences?

Section 7 allows a citizen aged eighteen or above — who is not a member of the Armed Forces or of any other volunteer force or scheme under a written law — to apply in writing to be registered. The membership period is five years (section 9), each member is given a certificate of appointment (section 8), and must undergo training (section 10). An employer may not dismiss an employee solely on the ground of a training call-up (sections 11 and 12), on pain of a fine not exceeding RM6,000.

Part V creates offences that protect the integrity of the corps:

Section	Offence	Maximum penalty
16	Possessing a certificate of appointment while not a member	Fine RM3,000 / imprisonment 3 years / both
17	Preventing a person from registering or carrying out RELA duties	Fine RM5,000 / imprisonment 3 years / both
18	Impersonating a RELA officer or member	Fine RM5,000 / imprisonment 3 years / both

RELA ranks are set out in the Schedule (section 22). The officer grades begin with the RELA Chief Commissioner (KPjR), while the member grades end with the RELA Lance Corporal (LKpl. R).

What’s next

If you encounter a RELA member during an operation, remember that they act as an assistant under the command of the authorised agency — not as a standalone enforcer. For the latest registration, training and allowance information, refer to the official RELA and Ministry of Home Affairs portals. This draft was prepared with AI assistance guided by the Attorney General’s Chambers updated text of Act 752 (as at 1 July 2024) and official sources; it has not undergone legal-expert review, so verify the figures and sections against the official gazetted version before relying on it for formal purposes.