GEORGE TOWN: Eleven of the 156 Penang Voluntary Patrol (PPS) unit members detained have criminal records involving theft, robbery, drugs, triad-related offences and even homicide.
Penang police chief Senior Deputy Comm Datuk Wira Abdul Rahim Hanafi said one of the PPS members, who had links to a secret society, was detained under the Emergency Ordinance before it was abolished.
Denying claims by the state government that police had vetted the PPS members, he said he had never received such applications.
“I have never commended the state for setting up the unit and my men have never conducted patrols with them,” he said, adding that a day’s remand order had been obtained for 135 members.
This was to facilitate investigation under Section 43 of the Societies Act for being members of an unlawful society, he added.
“We seized membership cards, berets, walkie-talkies, purple T-shirts and vests from the members.
“We will continue our blitz on the remaining PPS members who are still at large,” he said.
Urging the remaining members to surrender, he said police had details of 2,700 — or 30% — of some 9,000 members in PPS. Those detained were aged between 18 and 67.
“The arrests were made based on the rule of law and have nothing to do with politics,” SDCP Abdul Rahim said at the George Town district police headquarters yesterday.
Seri Delima assemblyman R.S.N Rayer, who was one of the lawyers representing the unit members, was himself detained at the police headquarters at about 6pm yesterday.
George Town OCPD Asst Comm Mior Faridalathrash Wahid said Rayer, reportedly the Seri Delima PPS chief, would be investigated under Section 43 of the Societies Act 1966.
All of them detained were released in batches as of 10.18pm yesterday except for Rayer.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng responded by challenging Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar to a public debate.
Lim said it was unfair for the IGP to label all PPS members as “gangsters” because of an undisciplined few. “Was it based on a few anti-PPS newspaper reports?”
He said the IGP’s statement was akin to condemning the whole police force for the actions of a few.
“We have over 9,000 members. Is it fair to arrest all of them just because of a few bad apples?
“If that is the case, police have a lot to answer to as there are many disciplinary cases as well as custodial deaths in police lock ups,” he said during a press conference.
Lim said the state government decided to withdraw PPS members from all activities until a court decision was reached on the legality of the unit.
“The state government will also provide legal assistance to them and to state exco Phee Boon Poh, who was also detained,” he said.
Lim claimed that among the members who tested positive for drugs were four senior citizens who were on medication.
SDCP Abdul Rahim said police would send urine samples for further examination.
Related stories:
Liow: Voluntary groups must act within the law
PPS members — disorganised, unruly and yet, a helpful bunch
Police arrested PPS members to safeguard the public, says minister
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