The government has set RM750 as the minimum wage for Ikatan Relawan Rakyat Malaysia (Rela) members who worked as part-time security guards.

NONE Deputy Home Minister Abu Seman Yusof said the minimum wage limit was set for Rela members based on their training, discipline and ability to handle weapons.

It is also an effort to attract locals to the sector (security) and reduce the over dependence on foreign labour, especially workers from Nepal, he said.

"The ministry feels it will be better for security firms to employ Rela members since they are trained, disciplined and able to handle weapons. They can be able replacement for foreign workers from Nepal.

"In a memorandum signed between the government and the Security Association of Malaysia, we have included the minimum wages for Rela members (RM750)," he said when answering a question by M Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat) who claimed that locals were not interested in the sector due to low wages.

bersih rally 101107 rela masjid jamek To a question from Abdul Manan Ismail (BN-Paya Besar), Abu Seman said the ministry had freezed the intake of foreign workers from Nepal since Nov 13, while the work permits of those already working would be terminated or not renewed once their term ends.

As of April 12, this year, there are 4,814 Nepalese, working as security guards, in 200 security firms throughout the country, he said.

- Bernama