Kuala Lumpur Warning or Danger Tips by erricc

Malaysia has a 'peoples' volunteer force' called Rela whose members helped out the Immigration and Police Forces. They do have uniforms but often they operate out of uniforms and in groups. They are also tasked with catching illegal immigrants and have widespread powers of arrest and detention. They do surround and stop tourists they suspect of being illegals and arresting and detaining them. An American (ex-military) had the bitter experience of being detained in Petaling Street China Town area. Though he protested that his passport was in his hotel room just a stone's throw away, he was arrested and detained and humiliated. It took the intervention of American Embassy personnel to finally obtain his release. He felt that he was targetted because he was an African American. The wife of an Indonesian diplomat was also arrested at around the same venue and despite her diplomatic passport which she had on her, she was arrested as an illegal immigrant. The Rela officers just dismissed her passport as fake. To be fair only a minority of tourist have experienced being mishandled by the Rela but it was indeed a traumatic and bitter experience for those who were unfortunate enough to be accosted by them. They often look rough and uncouth and often can be mistaken for a gang of robbers. In ordinary times, they often behave as the bully boys of the government and the relevant Director-General in charge simply springs to their defence when there are complaints, so, it is no use complaining, but tourists beware.

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