Penang police have advised members of the outlawed Voluntary Patrol Unit (PPS) to surrender their uniforms and other related items to the Registrar of Societies.

State police chief Abdul Rahim Hanafi said since the Home Ministry has declared the PPS illegal based on Section 5 of the Societies Act, "it is best to abide by the matter".

Rahim said the police are also awaiting a directive from Bukit Aman on how to proceed with the PPS.

"We are awaiting a national directive on community policing. PPS members can then help police based on that directive," he told a press conference today.

Yesterday, the Home Ministry reiterated its declaration that the unit, which was formed by the Penang government in 2011 to respond to disasters and provide community service, is illegal.

The unit, which now boasts 9,002 members, has been ordered to handover its properties to the Insolvency Department.

However, PPS deputy chief and Tanjong MP Ng Wei Aik said that the unit materials were state government assets.

PPS chief and state executive councillor Phee Boon Poh is away on a working trip to Taiwan.

Ng and Phee, together with 155 other PPS members, were detained after taking part in the state Merdeka parade on Aug 31.

They were detained for one night at the Northeast District police headquarters along Jalan Patani and their police bail was extended, for the second time, to Dec 1.

Rahim said the police are still awaiting further directive on action to take on the matter from the Attorney-General's Chambers.

"We have submitted all our investigation papers to the chambers and waiting for a directive (on whether to charge the PPS)," he said.

CM: PPS has no property of its own

In response, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said PPS has no property of its own as it is a voluntary body and that it was "validly formed".

Lim said the PPS only owns uniforms, which carry the entity's logo, but they are part of the state government assets.

"We will wait for the ROS to communicate with us. We do not want a confrontation with the police.

"The police are just following orders," he said.

For the record, Lim added, PPS has stood down all its activities since Sept 1, and neigher did it carry out its core duty of emergency response nor assist the police in community policing.