The Penang Voluntary Patrol unit marches during state level Merdeka celebration at the Esplanade, Penang. The unit was arrested by police just after performing the march past. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, September 1, 2014.Penang's Voluntary Patrol Unit (PPS) is not a dangerous outlaw group, DAP said today in continuing its criticism against police's actions against the body.
DAP vice-chairman Teresa Kok, in calling for the men in blue to stop threatening and arresting members of the anti-crime group, saying it was up to the court to decide on the legitimacy of the three-year-old unit.
She said police have no right to apprehend PPS members as it was legally formed under the Penang state government.
"The Inspector-General of Police must know this fact – that PPS is not a gangster group or secret society. It is a body set up by the Penang state government," she said.
"Until it has been cleared that PPS is an illegal body and what they do is against the laws, there was no necessity and justification for police to take such action, especially when PPS’s activity yesterday was only attending a state-level Merdeka event," she said in a statement.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had been on a collision course with IGP Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar after the Registar of Societies (RoS) had stated that the anti-crime voluntary group was illegal as it had not been registered.
It culminated in the arrests of 156 of the unit's members yesterday, moments after they had finished taking part in the Merdeka Day march-past on Lebuh Light yesterday morning.
PPS was formed in 2011, and its 9,002 members belong to 299 teams to provide community service and relief during disasters.
Also arrested was Penang executive councillor Phee Boon Poh over his involvement with the unit.
In describing the arrests as unnecessary, Kok questioned on what basis had PPS become "so dangerous" that it warranted highhanded police action.
- TMI
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