Ahmad Zahid (centre) tossing ‘Yee Sang’ at the opening of the Chinese New Year gathering for Rela Sarawak. Also present were Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing (fourth right) and other honourable guests. — Bernama photo
KUCHING: The federal government has approved RM165 million for the construction of the state People’s Volunteer Corps (Rela) training centre in Lundu.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi when announcing the allocation yesterday said the centre, on completion, would equip Rela members in Sarawak with the relevant skills and knowledge in various aspects.
He said the training centre would provide comprehensive training and courses not just for the 342,838 existing Rela members in Sarawak but also new members.
“The allocation shows how committed the federal government is in strengthening the (Rela) force in Sarawak,” he said at the Chinese New Year gathering for Rela Sarawak at a leading hotel here yesterday.
For the record, Rela Sarawak has been given a 40-acre land in Lundu District in recognition of its service and contribution during the 11th state election last year.
Former chief minister, the late Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem approved the site for the training centre as well as its headquarters.Currently, Rela Sarawak has no comprehensive training centre for all its members. The deputy prime minister said aside from the RM165 million, the federal government had also
given RM20 million to Rela Sarawak for their uniform in 2015 and 2016.
He hoped the state government would give a one-to-one matching allocation for the new uniform for all Rela personnel in Sarawak.
“The state government so far has only given RM2 million and I would like them to top up another RM18 million to match the federal government’s allocation,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid believed that Rela members in Sarawak would increase their numbers with the completion of the new training centre in Lundu.