MIRI: Parents and community leaders here are up in arms over the proliferation of Internet gambling outlets of late.
They can’t figure out why Miri City Council (MCC) and the authorities concerned, especially the police, seemed to be keeping a blind eye to this social menace which is luring a growing number of youths to become addicted to gambling.
A Rukun Tetangga chairman here, who requested anonymity for security reasons, said the number of youths, including teenagers, who were now into gambling online were worrying.
He told The Borneo Post that there were a lot of such illegal gambling outlets here and they seemed to be operating 24/7 undetected by the authorities.
“The police and MCC must monitor these gambling activities as it is sprouting out not only in shoplots but also at residential areas.”
Rosline Wong, a resident of Tudan, said the number of cyber gambling dens in the city was worrying.
“Why are these negative activities not stopped promptly? Don’t the authorities realise that the moral values of the people can cave in because of their existence?” she asked.
A committee member of a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Samuel Roger, noted that some of the internet gambling outlets were shrouded with tinted glasses and equipped with CCTV.
“It is sad that our city is fast becoming a gambling den,” he lamented.
A village headman, who too requested anonymity, hoped the police would conduct operations regularly to nail the culprits.
“I have heard stories of youths stealing cables and sell them for cash in order to feed their gambling addiction,” he claimed.