Come January, the Perak Peoples' Volunteer Corps (Rela) intends to recruit 6,000 members from among the Orang Asli community, its director, Brig-Jeneral Mohd Khariri Abu Hassan said today.

Currently, he said, 4,918 Orang Asli were Rela members, adding that various efforts were being undertaken to attract more members of the community to join the corps.

He was speaking to reporters at a recruitment campaign to get new members for the state Orang Asli platoon in Gerik.

The event was launched by Hasbullah Osman, who is political secretary to the deputy prime minister.

Hasbullah, who is also state assemblyman for Temenggor, said the involvement of the Orang Asli in Rela would assist the government in eradicating illegal hunting in the country.

- Bernama