PPS activities suspended

GEORGE TOWN: Penang Voluntary Patrol Unit (PPS) activities will be suspended pending further notice after 154 members were unceremoniously detained by police shortly after the state-level Merdeka parade.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said an announcement will be made tomorrow as it is understood the Exco will be discussing the latest developments.
He said the state will be providing legal assistance to those detained adding that all members in custody were cooperative with the authorities while PPS will cooperate with investigators.
"The state is ready to leave the matter to the courts to decide if needed," he said in a press conference today after visiting those detained at the Northeast district police headquarters here.
Lim was initially barred from entering the premises in Jalan Patani when he arrived but was later allowed in via the side gate.
The 154 members, including seven women, were detained at 10.07am at the Esplanade here where the celebrations were held.
Police teams had cornered the purple vests-wearing individuals before escorting them to the nearby Lebuh Pantai police station.
They were then taken to the Northeast district police station where their statements were recorded to facilitate investigations under the Societies Act 1966.
PPS was last week declared illegal by the Registrar of Societies (ROS) for failing to register with the police initiating investigations into the unit formed in 2011.
In an immediate response, Penang Welfare and Caring Society Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said PPS had contributed their part to society.
He said there were times patrol members had arrived shortly after an untoward incident happened to offer assistance.
"We will let our legal team handle this," the state PPS coordinator said in a press conference after visiting those detained.
Meanwhile, IGP Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim had issued an ultimatum to the remaining 9,000 plus members to surrender of face police action.
"Better for those responsible for PPS in Penang to surrender before we (police) raid their homes," he said in a tweet but it remains unclear if he was directing the message at members of the state government.
Penang police have yet to hold a media conference on the matter at time of writing.