Enrolment as member of RELA
(1) A person who is eighteen years old and above who is a citizen and not a member of the Armed Forces of Malaysia or any force or volunteer scheme established under any written law may apply in writing to the Director General to be enrolled as a member of RELA.
(2) Upon such application, the Director General or an officer authorized by him may enrol or refuse to enrol the person as a member of RELA.
Malaysia Volunteers Corps
(3) A person shall be deemed to have been enrolled as a member of RELA upon service of a notice to him by the Director General or an officer authorized by the Director General that he has been selected for enrolment.
(4) A member of RELA who is below the age of eighteen on the coming into operation of this Act shall cease to be a member of RELA.
Certificate of appointment
The Director General shall issue a certificate of appointment in the form of a security card to every member of RELA.
Period of membership
(1) The period of enrolment for every member of RELA shall be five years from the date of his enrolment and the Director General or an officer authorized by him may extend the period of enrolment.
(2) A member whose period of enrolment is not extended shall have his name placed on a reserve list.
Training
Every member of RELA shall undergo training as the Director General may prescribe to fit him for the duties which he may be called upon to perform.
Leave for training
(1) Every employer shall, if any person in his employment who is a member of RELA is called up for training under this Act, grant such person leave for the duration of the period of the training to enable him to undergo the training.
(2) The period of training shall not exceed ten days at any one time.
(3) No employer shall—
(a) subject to subsection (4), make or cause to be made any undue transfer or deduction from the pay, other remuneration or annual leave of such person;
(b) impose or cause to be imposed upon, or exact from, such person any penalty; or
(c) change the terms and conditions of the employment of such person to his prejudice,
solely by reason of his absence from work during the period of training.
(4) An employer who is within the definition of the Employment Act 1955 [Act 265], the Labour Ordinance [Sabah Cap. 67] or the Labour Ordinance [Sarawak Cap. 76] may deduct the pay or other remuneration of such person who undergoes the training under subsection (1).
(5) An employer who—
(a) directly or indirectly refuses or, by intimidation, undue influence or in any other manner, interferes with, the granting to any person of the period of leave required under subsection (1); or
(b) contravenes subsection (3),
commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding six thousand ringgit.
(6) The court by which an employer is convicted of an offence under subsection (5) for the contravention of subsection (3) may order the employer to pay to the person referred to in subsection (3)
Malaysia Volunteers Corps
the pay and other remuneration to which that person is entitled during the period of training.
Prohibition of dismissal of employees by reason of training
Every employer who dismisses a person who is a member of RELA from his employment mainly by reason of the person being called up for training under this Act commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding six thousand ringgit.
Resignation of member
(1) A member of RELA may at any time resign as a member by giving written notice to the effect to the officer or member of RELA in immediate command of him.
(2) The officer or member of RELA, upon receipt of the notice under subsection (1), shall serve a notice on the member resigning informing him that he has been discharged from membership of RELA and thereupon such person shall cease to be a member of RELA.
(3) A person who has ceased to be a member of RELA under subsection (2) shall, within fourteen days after he ceases to be a member, surrender the certificate of appointment issued to him under this Act.
Termination of membership
The Director General or an officer of RELA authorized by him may terminate the membership of a member of RELA.
Allowances
A member of RELA who is on duty shall be paid such allowances as the Minister may determine after consultation with the Minister of Finance.
Source: Laws of Malaysia, Attorney General's Chambers of Malaysia (lom.agc.gov.my). Not a copy of the Gazette printed by the Government Printer (Interpretation Acts 1948 and 1967, s 61).
