KUCHING: The state government will be taking more drastic actions on illegal gambling outlets in the state, said Minister of Local Government and Community Development Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh.
He said among them would be Telelink/Da Ma Cai.
“The state cabinet has decided that enough is enough and no more new gambling operator is allowed. Telelink happened to be the new one so we cannot allow it to operate,” Wong said when asked by reporters on the possibility of the state government granting Telelink the licence to operate if it pays tax.
“It is not about paying tax or not paying tax. This is the decision of the state cabinet way back in 2004,” Wong added.
Wong, who is also Second Finance Minister, stated that the local councils would not issue any licence for Telelink to operate in the state.
When delivering his winding-up speech at the State Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, Wong stressed that the state government was against the spread of gambling activities in the state due to the social ills associated with such activities.
On another note, Wong clarified that some of the seized equipment had been returned to Telelink because they were no longer required as evidence.
“Yesterday, (Tuesday) I have already explained. All cases had been resolved to our favour. Although we returned the equipments to them, it does not mean that we have lost the case or settled the case out of court as alleged by Wong Ho Leng (DAP-Bukit Assek),” he said.