Police bail for the 157 involved in Penang's voluntary patrol unit (PPS) will be extended for another month pending further investigations.
 
This number includes PPS chairperson Phee Boon Poh, Tanjung MP Ng Wei Aik and Seri Delima assemblyperson RSN Rayer.
 
Rayer said police informed him today that the group's police bail will be extended for a month.
 
"We are only told that investigations are not finished yet," Rayer ( right ) said when met outside the Northeast District police headquarters on Jalan Pattani.
 
Rayer said the bail can be extended for three months.
 
Accompanying Rayer and the group was Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

The PPS members were arrested by the Penang police last Merdeka Day.

Group told to report back on Oct 29

PPS coordinator A Manickam, who came out of the police headquarters after his bail was extended, said the group was told to report back on Oct 29.

"The police told us that investigation papers are still with the Attorney-General’s Chambers," Manickam told reporters.

"The police are now taking the fingerprints of the members, which they did not do when they were arrested earlier," he added.

Lim said the state government was solidly behind the arrested members, saying that only one or two left the entity after the arrests, as a result of being pressured.

He continued to question why were the members detained only now although the group has been serving the state for four years.

During their investigation, the police said several PPS members were found to have criminal records and tested positive for drugs.

"But the rest of the PPS members did no wrong. Just like there are also bad policemen, and those who used C4 to kill, we cannot condemn the whole force," Lim said.

By C4, Lim was referring to two former police officers who blew up Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu in October 2006.

Penang police launched a mass arrest on the group after they took part in the Merdeka parade at the Esplanade on the morning of Aug 31.

PPS, which was formed in 2011 as an urgent response team to disasters and to provide community service, was declared illegal by Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar after confirming that it was not registered under the Registrar of Societies.

However, Lim insisted that the group like the village development and security committees (JKKK), was a state agency and did not need to be registered by he ROS.

The PPS members are currently being investigated under Section 48 of the 1966 Societies Act for being involved in illegal activities.

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