IGP warns PPS members to surrender or face arrest

PETALING JAYA: Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar tweeted a warning to those involved in the Penang Voluntary Patrol (PPS) unit to surrender or have police raid their homes.

He was commenting on the arrest of 154 PPS members after a Merdeka event in Penang via his official Twitter account @KBAB51 yesterday.

Khalid tweeted: “Tindakan @PDRMsia keatas PPS di PP – elok lah mrk yg bertanggungjawap keatas PPS ini segera menyerah diri sebelum kami serbu kediaman.” (@PDRMsia action on PPS in PP – it is best that those responsible for PPS surrender themselves immediately before we raid their homes.)

In a television interview later, he warned PPS to lay off all activities, saying: “I will make arrests but it seems that this organisation is stubborn.”

Khalid said the arrests yesterday marked the start of action against PPS.

He maintained that PPS had been made illegal by the Registrar of Societies (ROS).

Khalid said PPS should clarify their legality with ROS though legal channels and not defy the laws by continuing to operate.

“This is certainly the act of a gangster,” he added.

He said the police would refer its investigations to the Attorney-General’s Chambers for further action.

Last week, Khalid said the ROS had verified that PPS was not registered under the Societies Act (1966) (Act 335) and so was viewed as an illegal society under Section 41 of the Act.

Later, Khalid posted screenshots to Twitter users who tweeted him insulting messages.

In the two posts, Khalid asked the Police Cyber Investigation Response Centre to take action against the two users.

One user called Khalid “Anjing BN” while the second post read “Thanks to ruthless (Khalid), Henrich Himmler of Malaysia.”

Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he had been informed of the police swoop on the 154 PPS members.

“Since this is an operational issue, let the police handle it.”

Dr Ahmad Zahid said he was told about the reasons for the arrests but he declined to comment further.