OMG, THE EXTENT OF HIS TWO-FACEDNESS! Nothing political, says Zahid on PPS

KUALA LUMPUR - There is nothing political about the action taken by police against the Penang Voluntary Patrol Unit (PPS) yesterday, Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today.

"The Inspector-General of Police (Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar) was acting based on the Registrar of Societies' (ROS) declaration that it is an unregistered organisation.

"PPS is not a registered body," said Ahmad Zahid, adding that the home ministry supports the police action against the PPS.

Police herded 154 PPS members off to detention just after they took part in the state-level Independence Day parade at the Esplanade in Penang yesterday, and subsequently arrested State Welfare and Caring Society chairman Phee Boon Poh, who is the PPS coordinator. (Phee was released on police bail today.)

Speaking to reporters after launching Umno Segambut's divisional meeting, Ahmad Zahid said the police had advised PPS about its illegality "many times" since it was formed by the state government in 2011, but it paid no heed to the authorities.

He said that law enforcement and security are the federal government's sole prerogative and state governments have no jurisdiction in these areas.

The home minister added that some PPS members have been acting outside the boundaries of law and intimidating people as if they have police powers.

He advised people who are keen to volunteer and work for the safety of the community to join the People's Volunteer Corps (Rela) or RakanCop instead.

Asked by newsmen if the police had overreacted by arresting more than 150 PPS members, Ahmad Zahid retorted: "So how many arrests are acceptable then?"

On Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng's intention to challenge Khalid in court, he said: "We will leave it to the court to decide if PPS is legal."

Asked to comment on DAP national adviser Lim Kit Siang and de facto Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's claims that the recent string of sedition charges are the prelude to Ops Lalang 2, Ahmad Zahid dismissed it as mere speculation.

"These are just speculations; you know how they (opposition leaders) like to speculate. People have too much freedom to talk about sensitive issues such as race and religion these days; it is like they are adding fuel to fire," he said when commenting on the charges.

Guan Eng, who condemned the arrests of Phee and the PPS members, believes that the move is the beginning of a major crackdown to threaten the state government.

"If he (Khalid) thinks he's right, then I challenge him to an open debate on the legality of the PPS," said Lim.

Meanwhile, Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar voiced support for the action taken by police against PPS as its members have uniforms and ranks despite being an unregistered body.

Speaking to reporters at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa after he joined a Zumba session with the people as part of the #FitMalaysia campaign, Khairy said that it is wrong for an unregistered organisation to have uniforms and ranks, and perform such functions as security patrols and controlling traffic.

He added that police had also taken action against a group which operated in Pantai Dalam here, that was similar to PPS as its members also had uniforms and ranks.

"But there is no action taken against PAS' Unit Amal, for instance, because it is registered under PAS. It carries out safety patrols during by-elections but there is no action because it is legitimate.

"This (PPS) is different... it is taking over the duties of the police," he added. -Sundaily