Selangor Police chief Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah is hopping mad at the attitude of certain quarters who accuse police of not taking any action against gambling premises resulting in its proliferation.

“Apparently, certain quarters have ulterior motives and portray as if Selangor police are not taking action although the reality is the opposite,” he said in a rather harsh and emotional tone during a media conference in Shah Alam today.

Regretting the allegation, Tun Hisan said in truth the police had seized 26,655 gambling machines from 7,089 raids with 2,045 arrests from January to November this year.

He was commenting on a front page and follow-up reports of an English newspaper recently that gambling activities were expanding in several areas in the Klang Valley including Petaling Jaya, Klang, Sungai Buloh, Selayang, Batu Caves, Rawang, Gombak and Kepong.

According to the reports, the lack of enforcement by the authorities had resulted in an increase in the number of gambling joints in the areas.

The same newspaper also reported the statement of Selangor exco member Ronnie Liu that not much could be done by the local authorities on the illegal gambling activities in the state and asked the police and other authorities to play an aggressive role to tackle the activities.    

Tun Hisan said although police continuously conducted raids, seizures and arrests, many operators of gambling premises were still operating including those which had been raided several times.

“Why does this take place? This is because the water and electricity supplies are not disconnected and the premises not sealed by local authorities,” he said.

He said the police had submitted 541 applications to disconnect electricity supply and 188 requests to local authorities to seal the premises in question.

Nevertheless, Tun Hisan said, recently Tenaga Nasional Berhad had cooperated with police by cutting the supply of electricity at 85 premises but, to date, they had not been sealed.

“We have identified 1,577 premises (unlicenced gambling machines) which, if the utility supplies are disconnected, I am confident no gambling or vice will take place there,” he added.

- Bernama