The Penang government has decided to sack the volunteer patrol member (PPS) who assaulted a photographer, following an appeal from journalists.

State executive (exco) councillor Phee Boon Poh said that the volunteer Lim Ah Chye's membership in PPS has been withdrawn and that he has been expelled from his post, effective today.

Lim served the Jalan Makloom PPS, and is among 5,300 members in 210 units state-wide.

Phee said he received a memorandum from the Penang Chinese Media Journalists and Photographers Association (Pewaju) this morning at about 10.30am, requesting the state to review the decision to suspend Lim for only three months.

On Monday, journalists voiced concern that the sentence was too light and will not be enough to prevent similar aggressive incidents in the future.

"The state exco reviewed the appeal and decided to expel him," said Phee, who oversees the caring society, environment, health and welfare portfolio at a press conference today.

Lim, 52, had on Dec 30 assaulted and injured 32 year old Ang Kean Siang, a photographer with Guang Ming daily, when the latter was carrying out his duties - covering a suicide incident - at Jalan Makloom.

Lim had since admitted and apologised for his actions in court, paid a RM3,000 fine and replaced Ang's broken camera.

A nine-member panel to probe the incident decided to suspend Lim for three months, but the decision did not go down well with journalists who preferred an immediate sacking.

Journalists want minutes

On whether the state would disclosed the full findings to Pewaju, Phee said he would hand over the minutes of the meeting which made the decision on Lim to the group, as they were also part of the panel which investigated the incident.

"We have disclosed the full findings and explained to Pewaju. What they want is the minutes, and I agree with them that this is only a departmental document, and not for public consumption," said the Sungai Puyu assemblyperson.

Regarding another PPS member who passed by and witnessed the incident, Phee said that the panel had identified a member from Padang Tembak (Rifle Range).

"We told Pewaju that we will call another meeting to ask the member to explain what he saw that day. We agreed to this because we believe in transparency," he said.

On whether the decision has been relayed to Lim, Phee said he has yet to do so.

However, Phee added that Lim was at his office at the 55th floor of Komtar, but he is uncertain on why the latter had gone there.