SERDANG: Police have conducted a total of 5,913 operations to clamp down on illegal gambling since Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun took office two months ago.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the high number of operations is proof that the police remained committed in shutting down gambling dens.
“Illegal gambling poses many threats to the country as it may lead to more severe crimes drug smuggling, human trafficking and organised crime.
“Under the new IGP, a total of 5,913 operations were conducted from Sept 4 until yesterday (Oct 23) to curb illegal gambling,” he said.
Zahid, who is also Home Minister, said this during a National Transformation 2050 (TN50) dialogue on security cluster at Universiti Putra Malaysia here today.
One of the suggestions raised during the dialogue was for Malaysia to address physical and online threats, including online gambling.
Zahid said his ministry, the police and the Attorney-General’s Chambers are discussing the possibility of amending the Common Gaming House Act 1953 to combat online gambling.
He said the government may also decide to draft a new law to shut down online gambling in the country.
“Online methods of gambling is an unconventional aspect in gambling.
“Reports have shown that it (online gambling) makes up a large portion of gambling activities.”
Online gambling, he said, was a transnational issue that needed to be addressed immediately.
Failure to do so, he said, would not only cause money to flow out of the country, but also lead to broken families.
Zahid had, in March, said a parliamentary caucus would be established to address illegal gambling.
The participants of the two-hour dialogue also called for stricter border control, a change in the people’s perception of ex-convicts, and the use of non-lethal weapons by the security forces.
Present was Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.