Penang wants court to determine legitimacy of PPS

The state government is ready to face any charge from the Royal Malaysian Police on the legitimacy of the Penang Voluntary Patrol Squad (PPS).

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the state government did not have any problem with the police but left it to the court to determine the legitimacy of the PPS.

"The state is taking full responsibility for the PPS and we will respect the law if the court makes a decision.

"We do not have any problem with the police, we're just not satisfied with the statement made by the Inspector-General which is not in accordance with the law," he told reporters after visiting the 154 PPS members arrested here today.

Last Tuesday, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar issued a statement declaring PPS to be illegal as it was not registered with the Registrar of Societies (ROS) under Section 41 of the Societies Act.

Lim said he had ordered all state PPS activities for today to be postponed to accommodate other PPS members to support the 154 who had been detained.

"We will hold a meeting with the state government lawyers on the PSS and an announcement will be made tomorrow (Monday) on further measures to be taken," he said.

Earlier, about 154 members of the PPS were arrested by police after joining the Independence Day parade at Padang Kota Lama, here.

Meanwhile, Penang PKR Youth information chief Aidil Ibrahim defended the PPS as being a voluntary unit formed under the jurisdiction of the state government.

He said their arrests proved the police were unaware that these people had assisted in security issues in villages and residential areas.

"We urge the police to release the detained PPS members immediately without condition," he said.

Aidil also questioned the establishment of the Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) as not being a registered body, yet it was not considered an illegal organisation.