Penang government suspends PPS activities until court's decision

GEORGE TOWN: All activities of the state government-formed Voluntary Patrol Unit (Pasukan Peronda Sukarela or PPS) is suspended until the court makes a decision on the body's legality.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the Penang government had held a state executive council (exco) meeting to discuss the matter and the decision made received the support of 30 state assemblymen from DAP, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and PAS.
"The state government has decided to rest the PPS participants from all related activities in Penang until the court makes its decision on the body's legality," he said after chairing the emergency exco meeting, here, yesterday.
Lim said the state government would provide legal and financial aid for 156 members including Penang exco member and PPS chairman Phee Boon Poh who were arrested and now facing legal action.
They were arrested on Sunday to facilitate the investigation under Section 43 of the Societies Act 1966.
Meanwhile, Lim denied a police statement that some of the PPS members arrested failed the urine tests as they were found to be positive for drugs.
He said those found positive for drugs were senior citizens aged 60 and above and had taken medicines, as it was normal for them to do so, before the urine tests were conducted.
Lim stressed that the PPS was a legal body and approved by the Penang government at a state exco meeting on April 8, 2009, and how it was approved was the same for the village security and development committees set up by the state government.
"Also, the state government will take stern action against any act of indiscipline or crime involving PPS members," he said. – Bernama