GEORGE TOWN: The People's Alternative Party (PAP) has questioned the need for the formation of Penang Voluntary Patrol Body (BPS), calling it nothing more than a rebranded version of outlawed Penang Voluntary Patrol (PPS).
The party said BPS must be deferred and called on the federal government to order state government to put the initiative on ice.
Its president Zulkifli Mohd Noor said Home Ministry and Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar should also take action against quarters behind the BPS formation.
"BPS cannot be allowed to happen because the state government is in the midst of appealing a court decision against PPS.
"It is an act of challenging the law and the police have yet to comment if they will accept the BPS or not,
"The state government must defer the formation of BPS until the appeal against its predecessor PPS has been settled," he said today.
Zulkifli said BPS should not be allowed to operate and cited Penang High Court's decision to uphold the Home Ministry's declaration that PPS was illegal last Tuesday.
It was reported that High Court Judge Datuk Hadhariah Syed Ismail said the Home Ministry had the right to make the declaration and was correct in declaring PPS as unlawful.
She had said that the declaration was within the discretion of the Home Minister and that he did not need to explain the decision.
State Welfare Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh reportedly said that the state government would appeal against the decision.
Meanwhile, state police chief Datuk Abdul Ghafar Rajab told the New Straits Times that force were still gathering facts about BPS for Bukit Aman's perusal.
"We are compiling the necessary information about BPS to hand over to the federal police headquarters," he said
It was reported that the controversial PPS, which was outlawed by the federal government in 2014, made a comeback earlier this month under the brand name, BPS.
Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had said it was aimed at creating a safe neighbourhood.
Lim said the BPS was formed under the Village Security, Safety and Development Committee (JKKK) and that there were no ranks for members in the body.
He said he would explain the formation of BPS under the JKKK to Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamad, who had told the state government to register its newly formed BPS with the Home Ministry.
The newly formed BPS was set up in 40 areas in Penang and currently has 607 members.
