PAS Youth chief Suhaizan Kaiat has vowed to take the matter in court if any action is taken against the PAS’ volunteer corps Unit Amal.

Suhaizan said this in response Home Minister Ahmad Zahidi who said earlier today that he was “sure” that the police would act against the Unit Amal.

This follows the detention of 156 Penang Voluntary Patrol Unit (PPS) members yesterday.

Asked by Malaysiakini what action would be taken against should the PAS Unit Amal members be detained, Suhaizan ( left ) said: “We will meet them in court”.

Suhaizan had explained that the welfare unit was established under the PAS Youth, under the party’s list of activities.

“(As such), I cannot understand why action must be taken against Unit Amal,” he said.

Zahid had said “the same action” that was taken against the PPS members would also be taken by the police against the Unit Amal of PAS.

"The same action will be taken by the police. I am very sure they are going to take action," Zahid told journalists in Kuala Lumpur today.

The minister said this when asked about the difference between the PPS and Unit Amal.

Unit Amal has operated for decades and has facilitated in crowd control during opposition party protests as well as in PAS' community events.

Unit Amal established in 1991

Established in 1991, it has about 3,000 members aged above 18 who receive training from leaders within its own ranks, including teachers and ex-soldiers.

Meanwhile, Unit Amal chief Juhari Othman said the unit would convene a meeting before coming out with a response to Zahid’s statement.

In a related development, former PAS Youth chief Nasrudin Hassan ( on the left ) said Unit Amal has been in operation for a long time and has helped the community through welfare and humanitarian activities.

“I hope Zahid will not take the wrong action by victimising Unit Amal with narrow political thinking.

“We will not keep mum on this as I am also a Unit Amal member,” Nasrudin said.

Meanwhile, PAS central executive committee member Mujahid Yusof Rawa said Unit Amal has nothing to do with violence.

“Unit Amal is clean; it embodies the spirit of volunteerism. I am surprised that the government plans to crack down on them as this shows it does not support volunteerism,” Mujahid said.

Adding that the Unit Amal complements the work of the police, he believes that the police should not be dragged into this “political” matter.

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