Malaysia Expands Volunteer Security Corps

(21 Aug 10 - RV) Malaysia is expanding a volunteer security corps accused of human rights abuses. The government-backed corps, known by its acronym RELA, is meant to help police and other authorities conduct neighborhood patrols and track down foreigners living in Malaysia without valid documents.

But activists have insisted in recent years that the Home Ministry should disband the force of 1.6 million volunteers because many have been accused of extorting money from illegal immigrants and physically abusing them.

We spoke with Fr Lawrence Andrew, editor of Malaysia’s Catholic weekly, Herald: