The controversy surrounding the Penang Voluntary Patrol Squad (PSS) could have been resolved much earlier if the state government and police had took action before the issue got out of hand, said Penang Bar chairman Abdul Fareed Abdul Gafoor.
“This issue could have been resolved much earlier, like four years ago. PPS should have had itself registered with the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to become a legalised entity. The police and parties involved could have had a dialogue rather than wait for things to get out of control.
"It seems that neither party took action," Abdul Fareed told Astro AWANI today.
"The fact is PPS is not registered. The state government maintained that the unit came under its purview. But there is no enactment to legalise them. If the state government wants to challenge the entire thing, it will have to file a suit in court to seek clarification that PPS is a legal entity.
"We have to let the investigation take its process for the time being," he added.
On Sunday, police detained 154 members of PPS after they participated in a Merdeka Day rally at Padang Kota, Penang.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the PPS members, including seven women, were detained at 10.15am to facilitate investigations for breaching regulations under Section 41 of the Societies Act.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng Lim, however, maintained that PPS came under the jurisdiction of the state government and that it would defend its members.
Lim added that he will let the court to determine PPS’s legitimacy.
"The state is taking full responsibility for PPS and we will respect the law if the court makes a decision.
"We do not have any problem with the police, we're just not satisfied with the statement made by the Inspector-General which is not in accordance with the law," he was quoted as saying in a Bernama report today.
Lim has also challenged Khalid Abu Bakar to a debate over the arrest of the PPS members, including its chairman Phee Boon Poh.
Phee, who is the state's welfare, caring society and environment committee chairman, was released at the Northeast District police headquarters earlier this evening after being detained on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Seri Delima assemblyman RSN Rayer has been detained to assist in the police investigation in the case.
Rayer, who is the PPS chairman for Seri Delima, was detained at 6pm when he came to the Timur Laut police headquarters to handle the release of PPS members who were in remand.
Earlier today, Penang police chief Datuk Abdul Rahim Hanafi said police would carry out a statewide crackdown on the rest of PPS members - estimated to be around 9,200 members - as the group has been declared illegal.
Rahim said initial investigations showed four of the detained members tested positive for drugs. Eleven of them had previous criminal records.
Meanwhile, Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin took to Twitter to voice his criticism against the PPS unit.
He questioned as to why the state government had not worked with the police’s Rakan Cop programme instead.
The Umno Youth Chief also posted a photo of the PPS members putting up DAP flags on the streets.
"PPS is eradicating crime in Penang while carrying the flags of the state government's party?" Khairy tweeted.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said he fully supports the action of the police in arresting the PPS members (PPS) because the team ignored warnings not to carry out any activities as it had been declared an illegal society by the ROS.
Cynthia Ng
Mon Sep 01 2014
PPS issue could have been resolved earlier - Penang Bar
Langkah menoktahkan kemiskinan tegar di Sabah antara tumpuan Dewan Rakyat
Ahli Parlimen Kinabatangan, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin meminta Menteri Ekonomi menyatakan langkah tersebut pada sesi jawab lisan.
Kerajaan cadang perkenal pembiayaan swasta pastikan kemampanan sektor air
Kerajaan menyasarkan untuk memperkenalkan pembiayaan swasta alternatif bagi memastikan kemampanan kewangan program sektor air.
[INFOGRAFIK] Tarikh-tarikh penting Istiadat Pertabalan Yang Di-Pertuan Agong ke-17
Berikut adalah info berkenaan dengan tarikh-tarikh penting Istiadat Pertabalan Yang Di-Pertuan Agong ke-17
Menendez didapati bersalah ke atas 16 pertuduhan rasuah
Juri di Mahkamah Persekutuan Manhattan membacakan keputusannya pada Selasa selepas berbincang selama lebih 12 jam selama tiga hari.
Tindakan keras terhadap penjualan racun makhluk perosak haram - CAP
CAP menggesa Lembaga Racun Makhluk Perosak segera mengambil tindakan keras terhadap penjualan racun makhluk perosak haram di negara ini dan menguatkuasakan dengan tegas Akta Racun Perosak 1974.
SDG: UTP lahir pelajar berkemahiran, tinggi tanggungjawab sosial
UTP berhasrat mendidik pelajar bukan sahaja untuk mahir dalam aspek teknikal tetapi juga untuk menjadi warganegara yang bertanggungjawab dari segi kemahiran dan keupayaan sosial.
RUU 355: Pindaan perlu untuk praktikaliti, keadilan
Apa sahaja pindaan terhadap akta itu perlu berjalan selari dengan persediaan mereka yang bertanggungjawab melaksanakannya, seperti mahkamah syariah, pegawai penguatkuasa agama dan peguam syarie.
Kerajaan teliti kaedah baharu lantikan tetap
Kerajaan sedang meneliti kaedah baharu lantikan tetap bagi memastikan pengurusan kewangan negara yang lebih mampan.
Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Wilayah Persekutuan), Dr Zaliha Mustafa berkata hasil kajian tersebut akan dibentangkan kepada Jemaah Menteri untuk pertimbangan dan kelulusan.
Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Wilayah Persekutuan), Dr Zaliha Mustafa berkata hasil kajian tersebut akan dibentangkan kepada Jemaah Menteri untuk pertimbangan dan kelulusan.
PDRM gerak unit skuba forensik, K9 cari bukti hari ini
Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) akan menggerakkan unit skuba (Unit Forensik) serta Unit Anjing Pengesan (K9) ke lokasi penemuan mayat Nur Farah Kartini Abdullah, 25, di Kampung Sri Kledang, Hulu Selangor, pagi esok.
Timbalan Ketua Polis Daerah Hulu Selangor DSP Mohd Asri Mohd Yunus ketika dihubungi Bernama berkata proses mencari bahan bukti akan dimulakan sekitar jam 9 pagi di kawasan parit berhampiran ladang kelapa sawit berkenaan.
Timbalan Ketua Polis Daerah Hulu Selangor DSP Mohd Asri Mohd Yunus ketika dihubungi Bernama berkata proses mencari bahan bukti akan dimulakan sekitar jam 9 pagi di kawasan parit berhampiran ladang kelapa sawit berkenaan.
Dewan Rakyat: Langkah meknoktahkan kemisikan tegar di Sabah antara tumpuan hari ini
Langkah-langkah untuk meknoktahkan kemiskinan tegar di Sabah terutamanya di lapan daerah yang dikategorikan termiskin di Malaysia antara tumpuan persidangan Dewan Rakyat hari ini.
Badan Peguam Malaysia gesa kerajaan tubuh IPCMC dengan segera
Badan Peguam Malaysia menggesa kerajaan supaya menubuhkan Suruhanjaya Bebas Aduan dan Salah Laku Polis (IPCMC) dengan segera.
Sidang khas mahkamah memperingati Karpal akan dipertimbangkan
Jawatankuasa Peguam Negeri Pulau Pinang mungkin akan memberikan satu penghormatan rasmi atau 'reference proceeding' khas di mahkamah untuk memperingati mendiang Karpal Singh.