PAS will defend Amal Unit - Mat Sabu

PAS will defend its Amal Unit if it comes under the same action as Penang's Voluntary Patrol Team (PPS), said its deputy president Mohamad Sabu.

Mohamad, more popularly called Mat Sabu, said so far no action has been taken against the unit, which looks after security at the party's functions, and that the party only came to know about possible action against it via the media.

"We will defend our Amal Unit (if the authorities take action). So far nothing has happened, we are waiting," he told reporters after attending a Penang PAS dinner here Monday night.

He was responding to the statement by Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday that societies or organisations not registered with the Registrar of Societes (RoS) will face the same fate as the PPS.

Yesterday, police arrested more than 150 members of the PPS in George Town for ignoring warnings not to partake in any activities following the ROS declaring it an illegal society.

Meanwhile, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who was also present, said the state government would give each of the PPS members arrested RM200 for every day they were held in the lock up and also organise a special ceremony to thank them for their contributions and sacrifices.