GEORGE TOWN, Nov 11 — The Penang government announced today the formation of a new unit of volunteers called the Voluntary Patrol Body (BPS) that will replace its outlawed precursor, the PPS or the Voluntary Patrol Unit.

According to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng today, members of the new body, which is expected to be launched by January next year, will act as “frontline” responders during rescue and emergency situations.

They will also use the same purple uniforms worn previously by PPS members.

“BPS is formed under the Welfare, Unity and Community Relations Bureau of the Community Development and Security Committee (JKKK),” he told a press conference at his office today.

The lawmaker also said that the state made sure this time to adhere to all legal requirements necessary for the formation of the unit.

“Of course, if they wish to dig up issues when there are none, there’s nothing we can do about it,” he said.

He said the formation of the BPS is in accordance with the functions of the JKKK, which looks after the safety and security of each locality it covers.

Lim also said that the state is also reviewing its disaster management procedures to ensure that immediate response teams are always on standby to offer assistance.

The BPS will be able to function more efficiently by co-existing with the JKKK, he said, as village information and profiles recorded by the latter body can be channeled to the BPS during times of disasters like floods.

The PPS was declared illegal by Putrajaya in November last year and the state government later challenging the ban through the courts.

Lim today also launched a BPS mobile application called the BPS Comm Help that will act as a “panic button” for users during an emergency.

The application is meant to provide quick responses by sending out alerts through text messages to the users’ listed contacts, BPS and in future, to emergency responders such as the police and fire and rescue department.

The newly formed BPS will be chaired by Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Mohd Rashid Hasnon.

Mohd Rashid said there are a total 293 JKKKs in the state and there will be between five to 10 BPS teams under each state constituency.

The JKKK chairman will head the respective teams under them but the overall body will report to the district office, he said.