No money, tidak Rela

Volunteers of Malaysian People better known as Rela Corps have demanded a non-governmental organisation (NGO) to pay money for crowd control services.
            
The NGO known as Pertubuhan Sri Agathiar Sanmarka Gurukalam Malaysia, based in Kampung Laksamana in Batu Caves, has been providing free banana leaf food service for 100,000 people who throng Batu Caves for the Thaipusam celebration.

It has also been engaging Rela for crowd control measures without any problems for the past 15 years.

The organisation's president B Panir Selvam was shocked when a Rela officer demanded money for the services this time around.

Speaking to Malaysiakini, he said: “The officer demanded that I pay RM5,632. 25. In the past, we used to pay RM1,500 as a token of appreciation.”
 
He said the new calculations was based on the charge of RM5.50 per hour for a total of 25 Rela officers within a period of 39 hours.

'No one works for free'

Panir added that the officer had told him that the cost would be heftier if  private security companies are engaged.

He also said that no documents with regards to the charges were shown went he requested for it.

Contacted later, the officer who identified himself only as Velu, confirmed asking for the money.

"No one works for free," he stressed.

Velu also said that he has provided services for other communities and functions for which he is paid promptly.

Meanwhile, Home Ministry’s external training officer Rohani Ghani told Malaysiakini that no charges are supposed to be imposed for the services.

They are, however, allowed to accept cash as a token for their services.