In a video, the Warisan chief seems to indicate Rela members are good only to direct traffic and crowd control.
Kalabakan Rela liaison chief Saad Razak, who made the report, said he was compelled to do so after receiving the video of Shafie speaking at a function about Rela members’ incompetence in handling firearms.
In the video, Shafie also said Rela members are only good for directing traffic and crowd control during events.
“Those words hurt the feelings of the men and women who serve in Rela.
“It is not right to say we don’t know how to handle firearms. Many of us have gone through months of training to be proficient in handling firearms,” he told FMT.
Furthermore, he said the report was necessary because Shafie had implied in the video that Rela members will be transferred to other districts for a long period of time, thus turning them into postal voters.
Such a notion, he said, is untrue because Rela members, being volunteers, will never be told to move to other districts.
“We stay in our own place. We are private citizens and if our service is required in any particular district, only members in that district will be called. There is also no compulsion to serve,” he said.
Saad said he was saddened by Shafie’s speech and many of the Rela members he knew were deeply disturbed by it.
“I don’t know why Shafie said this. We never disturbed him. We never wronged him in any way.
“In fact, from what I heard, there were Rela members at the same function in Tuaran when he said this.”
He said Shafie should just apologise to all Rela members and retract his words.
Tawau police chief ACP Fadil Marsus confirmed receiving the report but did not comment further.
Meanwhile, the video which was also uploaded in a local news portal with the caption “Shafie Apdal hina 3.05 juta anggota Rela”, received more than 50 comments, including one from a Mohd Jagoan who attempted to explain the context of Shafie’s speech.
He said in fact Shafie was not degrading Rela members but simply questioning the government’s seriousness in safeguarding safety within Esszone areas.
“Why rely on Rela when the government can empower Esscom? Where is the army that was promised to guard Esszone?
“Rela members, if it is true they will be directly involved in safeguarding Esszone, should demand for a pay rise or full-time salary from the government instead of bashing Shafie,” he said.
FMT has reached out to Shafie to get his response to the allegations.
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Sumber Shafie’s ‘incompetent’ comment makes Rela member file report