GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Government has decided to sack a member of the Volunteer Patrol Unit (PPS) after finding him guilty of assaulting a Chinese press journalist last month.

State health, welfare and environment committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said the decision to dismiss Lim Ah Chye was made Wednesday, following a demand to that effect, from the Penang Chinese Media Journalists and Photographers (Pewaju).

"This is the Exco's decision after discussion and due consideration," he said at a media conference, following the state government exco meeting here.

PPS, a volunteer patrol unit formed by the state government, was launched on Sept 17, 2011. It is aimed at providing security awareness to the people, apart from assisting the police in carrying out patrols to maintain public order.

On Dec 30, Guan Ming Daily journalist Ang Kean Siang, 32, was injured when he was assaulted by a PPS member while covering an incident at an apartment in Jalan Perak here.

In that incident, Ang's camera was damaged as the man involved was unhappy he had taken photographs of a woman who was found dead.

The state government formed a special panel to investigate the incident.

Two days later, the panel suspended Lim, 52, as a member of the Jalan Makloom PPS branch for three months.

The decision incurred the wrath of a group of Chinese journalists, including Pewaju representatives. - Bernama

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