The cabinet decision to impose a total ban on video arcades is a knee-jerk reaction to a problem largely due to the failure of the enforcement agencies to combat illegal gambling machine centres, an opposition leader said today.

"While the motive of the government to ban illegal arcades is noble, its failure to differentiate between the illegal gambling machines and the non-gambling video machines shows the lack of in-depth study and understanding by cabinet members on what is the actual problem that should be tackled," DAP secretary-general Kerk Kim Hock said in a statement.

Kerk stressed that the youth's involvement in illegal gambling machines and their addiction to non-gambling slot machines are two different issues "which must be properly, effectively and separately addressed".

"Likewise, there must be a distinction made between the illegal gambling video centres which are found in shophouses, coffee shops or houses and the licensed video arcades which are located in shopping centres and Genting Highlands resorts.

"Why should businessman who have invested millions in legitimate businesses be penalised simply because of the failure of the enforcement agencies to prevent the mushrooming of illegal video arcades?" he asked.

Site visit

Kerk added that the cabinet decision may have also been made in haste by ministers who do not have a clear understanding of what is the real issue and who should be the real targets.

"The ministers should all therefore make a site visit to the licensed video arcades to see for themselves the real situation," he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced on Wednesday that in view of the serious menace and social problems created by video games, the cabinet had decided that all video games arcades will have to close shop within two months and that no new licences will be issued.

However, Deputy Home Minister Chor Chee Heung said yesterday that private clubs and arcade operators whose licences are issued by the finance ministry are exempted from the ban.

He added that the ban applied only to those whose licenses were issued by local authorities.