Rela allowance review needed amid rising workload, living costs
KUALA LUMPUR: The current RM8 per hour allowance rate for Malaysian Volunteer Corps (Rela) members should be reviewed as it is no longer appropriate for their workload and the rising cost of living.
Malaysian Volunteer Corps (Rela) members' current hourly allowance rate of RM8 should be reviewed, according to Alliance for Safe Community chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye. He argues that the rate is insufficient for the workload and costs of living. Currently, Rela members receive only RM96 for a maximum of 12 hours of service. Lee emphasizes that Rela is not a permanent job, and members are not called up daily, making it challenging for them to earn substantial income.
The RM8 hourly rate is also below the current minimum wage. Lee, a social activist, suggests a more reasonable allowance would recognize the growing and challenging duties of Rela members, including security control, assisting in large-scale events, and managing community tasks. An increase in allowance would not only provide fair compensation but also attract more people to join Rela and boost the volunteer spirit among existing members.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
