The DAP-led Penang government today came to the defence of its Voluntary Patrol Team (PPS) whose leader and 156 of its members were arrested by the police on Sunday.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng challenged Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar to an open debate on the matter.
The police arrested 156 PPS members and its chairman, State Executive Councillor for Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Phee Boon Poh, after the Merdeka Day parade.
They also recorded statements from Lim and Seri Delima state assemblyman RSN Rayer. Lim was at the North East District Police headquarters up to 3.30 am.
Khalid, on his Twitter account on Sunday, asked those responsible for the PPS to surrender themselves before the police raided their homes.
It is said that the police had acted against the PPS as it was not registered with the Registrar of Societies (RoS) and Khalid had stated that the PPS was unlawful.
Lim maintained that the PPS came under the jurisdiction of the DAP-led state government and that it would defend the members of the team.
Meanwhile, North East District Police chief ACP Mior Faridalatrash Wahid said three of the 136 PPS members still under detention tested positive for the drug methamphetamine.
Twenty PPS members, among them seven women and those aged 60 and above, were released on police bail Sunday night.
He said the police also found that several of the detained PPS members had criminal records and were also on the police wanted list.
Mior Faridalatrash said the police were trying to obtain an order to remand those detained.
A large crowd had gathered at the North East District Police headquarters where 20 lawyers led by Gobind Singh Deo, Ramkarpal Singh Deo and Rayer, were seen entering the premises this morning.
In KUALA LUMPUR, Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said the police had not overreacted in arresting the PPS members.
He said the unregistered entity was seen to be taking over the duty of the police in maintaining security in Penang and this could pose a security threat to the public.
"It (PPS) has grown into a structured, uniformed team, complete with ranks," he said, adding that he felt that it was an offence for such a team to undertake policing and traffic control.
Khairy, who spoke to reporters after participating in an aerobics exercise programme organised by Era FM radio, said it would be proper for such a team to be registered and for the public to be informed of its existence.
Last Thursday, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar explained that the federal government did not allow any state to set up its own security force because security came under the jurisdiction of the federal government.
The PPS issue came to the fore after a social activist claimed to have been assaulted by members of the team for having allegedly criticised the state government on Facebook.
Last Wednesday, the Penang Police headquarters said it had received 16 reports against the PPS and that it would initiate an investigation.
Bernama
Mon Sep 01 2014
Lim maintained that the PPS came under the jurisdiction of the DAP-led state government.
Risiko bankrap: Usah mudah percaya sesiapa walau orang terdekat
Walaupun kini bebas, segala derita yang diharungi akibat tindakan individu yang amat dipercayai, masih tersemat dalam ingatannya hingga hari ini.
Penyumbang pembinaan mercu tanda ikonik dunia, Eversendai jadi kebanggaan negara
Nanta berkata Eversendai merupakan satu-satunya syarikat pembinaan Malaysia mencipta rekod dunia dan pencapaian penting dalam industri pembinaan.
Peralihan kerajaan: Badan Parlimen Indonesia lulus perbelanjaan lebih tinggi
Jawatankuasa Bajet Parlimen Indonesia meluluskan peningkatan perbelanjaan untuk kerajaan bakal Presiden Prabowo Subianto, yang akan mula memegang jawatan bulan depan.
Banjir Eropah Tengah: 22 maut, penduduk diarah berpindah
Seramai 22 orang terbunuh selepas banjir besar melanda bandar bersejarah Wroclaw di Poland, pada Selasa.
Seorang maut akibat gigitan ular setiap 4-6 minit di seluruh dunia
Kesan kesihatan awam terbesar gigitan ular berlaku di negara berpendapatan rendah dan sederhana dalam persekitaran tropika dan subtropika.
Pengerusi ASEAN 2025: PM mahu persediaan mantap, menyeluruh
Setiap kementerian perlu melakukan persediaan mantap dan menyeluruh memandangkan hanya berbaki beberapa bulan sebelum Malaysia mengambil alih tugas sebagai Pengerusi ASEAN 2025 daripada Laos.
Letupan Lubnan: A.S sedang kumpul maklumat - Jurucakap
Amerika Syarikat sedang mengumpul maklumat selepas sekurang-kurangnya sembilan orang terbunuh dan kira-kira 2,750 cedera apabila peranti kelui atau pager yang digunakan oleh Pejuang Hizbullah meletup secara serentak di seluruh Lubnan, pada Selasa.
Alat komunikasi meletup: Hizbullah ikrar tindak balas terhadap Israel
Kumpulan Hizbullah berjanji untuk bertindak balas terhadap Israel selepas menuduh rejim Zionis itu meletupkan alat kelui di seluruh Lubnan pada Selasa.
Kekejaman Zionis: Harris gesa tamatkan perang di Gaza
Calon Presiden Demokrat Amerika Syarikat, Kamala Harris menyeru untuk menamatkan perang Israel-Gaza, pada Selasa.
Hospital UMS bakal beroperasi pada tahun 2026
Hospital Universiti Malaysia Sabah (HUMS) yang sedang dalam proses pembinaan bakal beroperasi pada bulan Januari 2026
Kenyataan Muhyiddin gambarkan Guan Eng salah guna kuasa dalam kes cukai Yayasan Albukhary - Peguam
Kenyataan Muhyiddin dikatakan berunsur fitnah dan mencemarkan reputasi Lim Guan Eng apabila menggambarkannya telah menyalahgunakan kuasa.
Perbicaraan kes terowong dasar laut Lim Guan Eng ditangguh ke 19 Sept
Perbicaraan kes rasuah terowong dasar laut membabitkan Lim Guan Eng ditangguhkan ke 19 September.
Rakan Lim Guan Eng janjikan tanah untuk kajian kemungkinan terowong - Saksi
Seorang saksi perbicaraan kes rasuah terowong dasar laut membabitkan Guan Eng, memberitahu mahkamah syarikatnya dihimpit masalah kewangan sehingga menyebabkan beliau terpaksa mencari sumber dana lain.
Dana syarikat arak: Akmal pertahan kenyataan Fadhlina
Garis panduan Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia (KPM) berhubung kutipan dana sekolah adalah untuk menjaga sensitiviti agama dan bangsa di negara ini.
AGC tolak representasi Guan Eng untuk gugur empat pertuduhan rasuah
Representasi dikemukakan bekas Guan Eng untuk menggugurkan empat pertuduhan rasuah membabitkan pembinaan terowong dasar laut dan jalan utama di Pulau Pinang ditolak Jabatan Peguam Negara (AGC).
Tiada dokumen buktikan Guan Eng batal pengecualian cukai Yayasan Albukhary - Saksi
Tiada dokumen yang menunjukkan bahawa Lim Guan Eng telah membatalkan pengecualian cukai terhadap Yayasan Albukhary semasa beliau memegang jawatan Menteri Kewangan.
Saya tidak fitnah Lim Guan Eng, cuma jelas tentang siasatan SPRM - Muhyiddin
Muhyiddin memberitahu bahawa beliau tidak memfitnah Lim Guan Eng berhubung isu pengecualian cukai terhadap Yayasan Albukhary.
Kes terowong dasar laut: Guan Eng kemuka representasi gugur pertuduhan rasuah
Lim Guan Eng telah mengemukakan representasi kepada Jabatan Peguam Negara bagi menggugurkan empat pertuduhan rasuah terhadapnya.
Perincian jumlah pelaburan BlackRock di Malaysia tumpuan Dewan Rakyat hari ini
Jumlah pelaburan BlackRock dan syarikat berkaitannya di Malaysia antara yang menjadi tumpuan pada persidangan Dewan Rakyat hari ini.
Tun M nafi pernah ugut pecat Guan Eng
Dr Mahathir berkata, beliau sudah pasti menghormati kedudukan Guan Eng sebagai ketua DAP yang ketika itu merupakan ahli gabungan kerajaan.