GEORGE TOWN: Members of the illegal Penang Voluntary Patrol Unit (PPS) should consider seeking legal redress against the DAP-led state government "for getting them into trouble."
People's Alternative Party pro-tem committee chairman Zulkifli Mohd Noor, in making the call, said it was only right that the 9,000-odd members of the unit sue the state authorities since some 150-odd had already been arrested by the police.
"PPS members have the right to seek legal redress against the state government for misleading them and getting them into trouble with the law.
"I am sure PPS members would not join the unit if they knew it was an illegal organisation," he said here today.
Zulkifli was commenting on the Registar of Societies' directive for PPS to hand over jackets and other accessories to it following the Home Ministry's declaration that the unit was unlawful.
The ministry had also ordered all assets belonging to PPS be wound up by the Insolvency Department.
He said the state government had caused unnecessary problems to PPS members when they apply for loans or jobs later since they would have a police record.
"The state government should be helping the people and not get them into trouble.
"Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng should not wantonly carry out activities that are against Malaysian laws and creating problems for the people," he said.
Zulkifli said the PAP, which is still awaiting approval by the RoS, would assist PPS members to seek legal redress against the state government.
He said the ministry should also consider publishing the names of all PPS members to ensure their registration was not abused.
"We don't know if they had volunteered to be a member or someone had registered them without their knowledge," he said.
Meanwhile, Lim was reported to have remained defiant against the federal authorities' directives and would challenge the ministry in court.
On Aug 31, police arrested 157 PPS members who took part in a state-level Merdeka Day celebrations.
Some members of PPS, formed three years ago, had been accused of assaulting the public although they were set up to help in fighting crime and community services.
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