JOHOR BAHARU: All should be involved in stopping the rise of illegal gambling centres in the country, especially the local authorities, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Khalid Abu Bakar said yesterday.
He said that it was unfair to expect the police to handle the problem on their own because the licences for cyber cafes and other outlets where illegal gambling was alleged to occur were issued by the local authorities.
“This problem should be addressed together, not only by the police but the local authorities and other parties (such as non-governmental organisations),” he said.
“We also must create awareness of the bad consequences of gambling,” he told reporters after visiting the Marine Operations Force base in Tampoi here.
Khalid was commenting on media reports yesterday on allegations of wide-spread illegal gambling at cyber cafes in Melaka.
Khalid said he had instructed the Melaka police chief to discuss the problem with the local authorities in the state to find ways to tackle it jointly.
Meanwhile, he said the police would review the duties of the Marine Operations Force after its take-over by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency. — Bernama