KUCHING: The enforcement of the Second Hand Dealers Act 1964 will be a big boost in curbing metal thefts in the state.
Speaking at his Hari Raya Open House on Sunday, Housing Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said the enforcement of the Act would make it harder for thieves to dispose of their stolen goods.
“As we all know, the issue here is when there are people buying then there will be people selling.”
He added that the Act would control the transactions of second hand goods including scrap metals as dealers must keep a record of the seller’s identity and goods in every transaction.
“If dealers are allowed to trade without some sort of regulation they could easily buy stolen goods without any constraint.”
Referring to the frequent thefts of metal drain covers, the minister said the local authorities were not the only bodies suffering losses of millions of ringgit from these crimes, public utility companies and even private developers were also victims.
“Developers of new housing projects either private or public as well as contractors involved in government projects such as infrastructure expansions have also suffered similar losses.
“They have complained that building materials were often stolen,” said Abang Johari who is also the Tourism Minister.
“We have to tighten the issuing of the Second Hand Dealers’ licence. It is important that there is a law to regulate and control the market,” he added.
He confirmed that the Act had been extended to Sarawak and passed by the state cabinet but it had yet to be implemented.
“The bill was passed some time last year and it was the state government who wanted the Act to be extended to Sarawak,” he explained.
He lauded the state’s Police Commissioner for assuring that the police would fully implement the Act in the state once it was cleared by the state cabinet.
“The Sarawak Police Commissioner Datuk Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani has given a clear statement that the Act wi ll be implemented in full force once the procedural issues have been addressed,” he said.