KUCHING: Sesco, in joint action with police, earlier this month carried out a disconnection of electricity supply to four online gambling dens in Miri.
Sesco technicians carrying out disconnection works under close police watch at one of the illegal online gambling centres.
The operation was coordinated by the police, who had requested Sesco (Syarikat Sesco Berhad) to assist in the disconnection of electricity supply to the identified premises, according to its press statement yesterday.
According to the police, they had earlier raided the online gambling casinos and made arrests. They also confiscated online gambling machines used at these outlets.
In the joint operation, Sesco assisted by cutting off the electricity supply to four online gambling premises in Miri town. The targeted online gambling centres are located at the commercial shop lots at Saberkas, Krokop and Bandar Baru Permyjaya. The electricity supply to all the online gambling premises was disconnected to curb the illegal activities.
A Sesco spokesman said in the statement: “In line with the state government’s aim to reduce social crimes, Sesco is always ready to give full cooperation to requests from police, such as this disconnection task to curb social crimes.
“Earlier last month, Sesco also assisted in a similar operation coordinated by police in Sibu targeting at online gambling centres.
“Other than the police, Sesco had also rendered assistance to other government agencies such as the local council in Bintulu to also carry out disconnection exercises at several online gambling centres in Bintulu earlier this year,” said the spokesman.
The spokesman added that all these premises are also considered as high risk for power theft and are under close monitoring by Sesco.
Apart from online gambling premises, Sesco also monitors other high risk customers such as pubs, cold storage and manufacturing and timber industries.
The spokesman also reiterated that it is Sesco’s standard operating procedure (SOP) to lodge a police report for all meter tampering cases, including any threatening and bribery incidents during meter inspection for further police investigation.
In addition, the spokesman also reminded the public not to trust service providers’ claims that Sesco would not be able to detect tampering.
Stealing electricity is a dangerous crime punishable under the Electricity Ordinance Section 33(5) which carries a penalty of up to five years’ imprisonment or a fine of RM100,000 or both.
Sesco will continue to work closely with the Electrical Inspectorate Unit (EIU) of the Ministry of Public Utilities, the police and other government agencies including the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) in combating power theft.