The People's Volunteer Corps (Rela) will cease patrol duties at 98 of its community service centres nationwide effective Sept 1.

In a statement today, the department clarified that a letter leaked onto social media was about the cease of these patrol duties and had nothing to do with a cut in allowances for Rela personnel.

"The patrol duties were created in January last year to help safeguard the security in local areas.

"It was on a temporary basis and involved 98 centres with 294 paid personnel," it said.

The department said the stopping of the patrol duties was made based on financial and practical considerations and would not affect the centres' other operations which would continue as usual.