SHAH ALAM, 1 Sept: DAP demands for the demands the immediate and unconditional release of over 200 members of the Voluntary Patrol Squad (PPS) who were detained by a team of police officers when they took part in the State National Day Celebration parade at the Esplanade in Penang yesterday.
The DAP Legal Bureau Secretary, Gobind Singh Deo, said that the arrest of the PPS members reflects badly upon the police and makes the call by the government to unite to fight crime an utter nonsense.
He said that instead of focusing on criminals and improving safety, the police act against citizens who are committed towards fighting crime.
“What do we achieve by making mass arrests of citizens who volunteer themselves to keep their state safe?
“That crime have these people committed so as to deserve arrest and detention?” he said in a statement.
Gobind, who is also the Member of Parliament for Puchong, said that this is also a matter of public concern as most housing areas have security guards installed and groups of residents who gather together to keep their areas safe
He questioned whether these security guards are also facing the risk of arrest and detention if they continue their job of maintaining security at the residential areas.
“This is to my mind yet another unfortunate example of how Malaysia and the Najib administration will again become a laughing stock to the international world as we are probably the only country which arrests its citizens who voluntarily help in the fight against crime and to keep our streets safe,” he added.
PPS members were arrested at about 10.15 am near the Beach Street roundabout before crossing the main stage while participating in the National Day parade.
They were detained at the Lebuh Pantai police station before being taken to District Police Station for the documentation process.
On Tuesday, the Inspector-General, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, said that PPS is treated as an illegal establishment under Section 41 of the Societies Act because they did not register with the ROS.
NS