SIBU: Sibu district police chief ACP Stanley Jonathan Ringgit has refuted an allegation by Lanang MP Alice Lau of a widespread online gambling here.
At the ongoing Dewan Rakyat sitting, Lau had also asked what action the Home Ministry is taking against certain policemen who were allegedly in cahoots with gambling syndicates.
“She had also said that slot machines are still found in the town (Sibu). All her allegations are false,” said Stanley yesterday, adding slot machines are already non-existent in Sibu.
As for online gambling, he said according to the state police statistics, Sibu police were the most active in operations against such activity from January to June this year.
The operations were conducted under Section 4A (a) of the Common Gaming Houses Act, 1953.
“For the first six months of this year, we had conducted a total of 111 raids compared to 66 for the same period last year. From these raids, we had arrested 120 people and seized RM46,254 table money compared to 52 raids and seizure of RM9,064 table money last year,” he said.
On Lau’s allegation that certain policemen were colluding with gambling syndicates, Stanley welcomes information from the public on the matter.
“I will not hesitate to take stern actions if my men are in cahoots with gambling syndicates,” he stressed.
Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in his reply to Lau on Tuesday said the police force would continue to conduct operations to wipe out illegal gambling activities.
He also said that if the allegation that certain policemen in Sibu were cooperating with gambling syndicates was true, the matter would be taken seriously.
“I will not allow such thing to happen. We will not side with them but stern actions would be taken against any individual if there is concrete evidence,” he assured.
