SOME 500 members of the Malaysian Volunteer Department (Rela) will be deployed to help the General Operations Force maintain security at the five border areas in the country starting next year, Home Affairs Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said.

He said the five border areas are entry points located in Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Kelantan and Perlis.

The pilot stage of the deployment project, involving 90 members, had begun since November 2020 and the “roll-out” of up to 500 members would start next year, he told reporters after an official visit to the Rela headquarters today.

Meanwhile, Saifuddin said a total of 188,303 Rela officers and members have been mobilised since October 15 for duties at flood evacuation centres and to carry out patrol in flood-affected areas in four states.

“For this month (December) alone, a total of 3,173 Rela members have been assigned for the two duties following the northeast monsoon,” he said. – Bernama, December 15, 2022.