The DAP-led Penang government has threatened to resign if the state Umno could prove that the state government had allocated RM1.5 billion for the the Volunteer Patrol Unit (PPS).

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said a report in the Umno website stating such allocation for the PPS was inaccurate as the state government did not have that much fund for the unit’s activities.

“Our state reserve fund is only RM1.2 billion, (so) how could we allocate RM1.5 billion for PPS?

“The entire state government will resign if Penang Umno could prove that RM1.5 billion was allocated (for the PPS),” he told reporters in Butterworth today.

On Sept 4, Penang Umno chairperson Zainal Abidin Osman was reported as saying in the Umno website that overall, the state government had allocated about RM1.5 billion to set up PPS.

Lim said the state government would give Zainal Abidin three days to prove what he had claimed, failing which legal action would be taken against him.

Meanwhile, the chief minister said the state government was willing to go to court to protect the PPS whose formation four years ago was approved by the state executive council at a meeting.

On Aug 31, the police detained 156 PPS members, including PPS chairperson and state exco member for Welfare, Caring Society and Environment, Phee Boon Poh, for carrying out activities although PPS is not registered with the Registrar of Societies.

- Bernama