Cops release Penang exco Phee Boon Poh and PPS members

Police have now released all 155 members of Penang's Voluntary Patrol Unit (PPS) as of 10.30pm tonight.

Earlier this evening, state welfare, caring society and environment committee chairman Phee Boon Poh was released together with a few of the PPS members who were arrested yesterday.

Now, only Seri Delima state assemblyman R.S.N. Rayer, who was arrested today, remains in police custody.

Phee, who walked out of the station looking tired, met with his family members and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng then broke down in tears as he was received by a large crowd outside the gates of the Northeast District police headquarters.

After being garlanded, Phee thanked his friends, supporters, Pakatan Rakyat party members and the media for giving him the encouragement to stay strong.

"If I was taken for the betterment of Penang, then I am willing to make this sacrifice," he said in between tears.

Earlier today, Penang police chief Datuk Abdul Rahim Hanafi announced their remand for a day till tomorrow to facilitate investigations.

He said police would carry out a crackdown on the rest of PPS members.

“We remanded Phee and the 155 members, aged between 18 and 67, till tomorrow under Section 43 of the Societies Act 1966. Seven of them are women.

“PPS is an illegal organisation, so we will arrest all its members. There is no deadline. Therefore, I urge the members to surrender themselves to the police.

Rahim said initial investigations showed 11 of the detained members possessed criminal records. Four of them tested positive for drugs.

He said despite the fact that only one person had links with secret society by virtue of being a former Emergency (Public Order and Crime Prevention) Ordinance 1969 (EO) detainee, the police would go on with the crackdown.

Rahim revealed the PPS members who possessed criminal records came under Section 304, 379, 380, and 392 of the Penal Code, respectively, and also various drugs offences, and customs laws.

“Some of them have records for attempted murder, theft, break-ins and robbery. The suspect who was a former EO detainee was convicted for a drug offence previously,” he said.

He added that police seized 153 purple PPS T-shirts and 154 maroon berets bearing the Penang state emblem that formed the group’s uniform, a PPS placard and flag, a Jalur Gemilang, a Penang flag, walkie-talkies and membership cards.

He said the detainees comprised pensioners, civil servants, those who were self-employed and students.

While reiterating that 14 men and seven women were released on police bail early this morning, Rahim said the police had information on 30% of the members.

When asked whether the state government had presented a list of members to the police to be vetted for criminal records, he replied in the negative.

He also denied claims that police and PPS had worked together to patrol the streets within the state.

“I do not want to get involved in the challenges that are being thrown about on this matter.

“We are looking at this issue purely on the legal aspect and not on political insight,” he said, when asked to comment on the exchanges between Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar who announced PPS as illegal and Lim's continous defence of the unit. – September 1, 2014.