Penang is looking into suing the Home Ministry for defamation for its unlawful arrested of 158 voluntary patrol unit members (PPS) in 2014.

The 158 members were arrested after they attended a Merdeka march at Padang Kota Lama on Aug 31, 2014.

“It is definitely under consideration, but we want to focus on the Court of Appeal’s ruling that PPS was lawfully set up by the Penang government.

“We want to cross this hurdle first, as the Home Ministry can still appeal, within 30 days, and apply for a stay (pending a decision of the Federal Court if it appeals),” Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng told a press conference today.

Lim (photo) was asked what the state’s next action on the PPS would be, after the Court of Appeal yesterday set aside the decision of the High Court in Penang, which on Nov 22 last year upheld the Home Ministry's ban on the PPS.

The High Court in its ruling also said PPS was a society but was not registered under Section 101(b)(5) of the Local Government Act, which requires societies to be registered.

The section was read with Section 2 of the 1966 Societies Act, which requires a society to be registered with the Registrar of Societies (ROS).

Revival of PPS left to its members

Lim said the revival of PPS would be left to its 9,000 members who could now reinstate their activities, if they wished to.

However, the uniformed body may have to freeze its activities again, if the Home Ministry decides to appeal the Court of Appeal decision.

Lim said the PPS was established to assist and help the police in community policing.

He expressed regret that there were several quarters that tried to “incite anti-PPS sentiments”.

“Nevertheless, the court decision is a very important victory for the Penang government and for Penangites who love PPS, which did much community work to help the people,” Lim said.

He also expressed hope that PPS members would feel vindicated by the Court of Appeal decision that it was a lawful body, and that it was not required to be registered with the ROS.

“We hope the unhappy experiences of being arrested, and having to stay a night in the police lock-up, will be cleared or cleansed by the Court of Appeal decision,” he said.

Lim recalled that even a state executive council member, Phee Boon Poh, who was in charge of PPS, was detained overnight at the Northeast District police headquarters on Jalan Patani.

“I also camped out at the police station. It was a very frustrating experience as we didn't do anything wrong. We merely assisted the public, but yet we were punished,” Lim said.

Phee said he appreciated the trust and faith of the people in the efforts of PPS to make Penang safer.

“We will now look into the details and see how to reorganise the PPS,” the Sungai Puyu assemblyperson added at the same press event with Lim.