The government's decision yesterday for a total ban on video arcades in the country has been criticised as being unfair to legitimate operators.

PRM president Dr Syed Husin Ali said today that although the party wished to congratulate the government for taking firm action, it was nevertheless unfair to impose a blanket ban.

"We have always argued that those that must be banned should be the ones operating illegally and legal ones involved in gambling or other illegal activities," Syed Husin said in a statement to malaysiakini .

He added that the government and the appropriate authorities concerned have often proved quite ineffective when it came to enforcing decisions such as a total ban.

Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced yesterday 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.

Syed Husin stated there was no guarantee that after the ban, the video operators will not resume their operations illegally.

"Are there enough officers to monitor progress and sufficient enforcement personnel to ensure that the illegal video arcades do not rear their ugly heads again?" he asked.

The government, police and local authorities must preempt any move by the video operators so that they cannot resort to using other avenues, including coffee shops, salons and homes, to continue with their illegal activities, Syed Husin said.

Identify 'protectors'

He also questioned what efforts will the Anti-Corruption Agency, police and local authorities make in order to identify government officials and politicians who are in the pay of the arcade operators to serve as their "protectors".

"Unless severe exemplary punishment is meted out to those found guilty, nobody will really take seriously the government action to ban the video arcades now. The main attack should be on the big operators, suppliers and protectors," he said.

He stressed that there must also be more space, avenues and facilities provided by the government and local authorities for the young people and students to spend their time usefully in healthy activities and entertainment.

"There is no use spending billions upon billions of ringgit on unproductive mega projects, while at the same time neglecting to allocate funds for places, facilities and activities which can attract them in a more useful manner," Syed Husin said.

Don't get sidetracked

DAP national publicity secretary Ronnie Liu also said that there was no reason for the government to impose a total ban and the decision needs to be reconsidered.

"This decision is not going to eradicate the problem. We should lock our target on the illegal gambling machines.

"Let us not get sidetracked from the issue but instead put in real effort to close down illegal video arcades," he said.

Liu added that the government should not penalise the "healthy" and legal operators.

"There is a saying in Chinese that says 'White dogs shouldn't be blamed because the black dogs steal the food'.

"We do know that there are karaoke centres, pubs and coffee shops that install gambling machines. It is also an open secret that some private clubs have slot machines and gambling. Are they going to call for a total ban on these premises too?" he asked.

Liu said that the whole issue has nothing to do with the difficulty in identifying illegal video arcades.

"This is a lame excuse. All of them do not have registered signboards and licences for operations. It is a matter of proper regulation and sufficient enforcement," he said.

Thumbs up from PAS

Meanwhile, PAS Kajang state assemblyman Dr Shafie Abu Bakar today gave his thumbs up to the total ban decision.

Shafie said that previous efforts to eradicate the problem in Kajang, Selangor, through the state assembly and the municipal council had failed.

"From our experience, actions taken by the police against these operators by confiscating the machines have been disappointing as these arcades would resume operations soon after.

"Therefore the deputy prime minister's announcement that the government will not issue new licenses to video arcade operators is a positive step which will further enforce the drastic action of a total ban," he said.