Inspector-general of police Mohamad Fuzi Harun (above) said the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) viewed seriously statements by various quarters questioning the seriousness and effectiveness of the action by the police in tackling gambling activities.

He said with technological progress, the police were being faced with various challenges in tackling gambling activities, especially online gambling as it involved servers in other countries and users of handphone applications which made enforcement difficult.

However, he said, various efforts taken by the police had yielded positive results, including the arrest of 6,168 people and seizure of 16,345 gambling machines in 2,158 raids conducted between January and June this year.

“For other forms of gambling, a total of 8,118 raids were carried out over the same period, with resulted in the arrest of 14,780 individuals and seizure of 16,275 gambling machines,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Mohamad Fuzi said this year alone, police had detained 32 people under the Prevention of Crime Act 2017 for gambling-related offences.

Mohammad Fuzi said the police had also set up special operation room for the public to lodge reports on gambling activities in all states.

Members of the public with information on gambling are advised to contact Perlis police at 04-9082 273, Kedah 04-7741 379, Penang 04-2221 722, Perak 05-2451 222, Selanggor 03-5514 5168, Negeri Sembilan 06-7682 340, Melaka 06-2854 222, Johor 07-2254 422, Kelantan 09-7455 636, Terengganu 09-6354 814, Pahang 09-5052 269, Sabah 088-4548 51, Sarawak 082-2742 13, Kuala Lumpur 03-2146 0670 and Bukit Aman 03-2266 6261.

- Bernama