GEORGE TOWN, Nov 19 – Machang Bubok assemblymember Tan Khai Loon together with the JKKK Machang Bubok members represented by Mustafa Ariffin had handed over a memorandum to exco member for Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation, Chow Kon Yeow. Also present were exco member Datuk Abdul Malik Kassim.
The memorandum is to urge the state government to halt or suspend the issuance of licences to entertainment centres which involved gambling. It also calls for stricter enforcement with the aim of preventing the community from involving in gambling activities. In the meanwhile, Chow also said the local authorities (PBT) received many complaints from the local community and entertainment outlets which providing the computerised gaming activities.
“In addition, to suspended production and renewal of existing license, we will continue to monitor and take more effective action to stop these illegal operations,” he told reporters after receiving a memorandum from the Machang Bubok Village Development and Security Committee in the Penang legislative assembly building lobby here on Wednesday.
The memorandum which passed on Wednesday was to urged the DAP-led state government to take action against infringing gambling entertainment center in the state. Yesterday, members of the Legislative Assembly of Machang Bubok DAP Lee Khai Loon raise the issue of gambling oriented entertainment center in the state assembly.
“The local authorities will also tighten application of new licenses in order to ensure that licenses are only granted to operators who actually operate their business. We are also considering to limit the application of new licenses to certain locations only, and intensify monitoring to curb gambling element,” said Chow.
Chowsaid the issue would be taken at a meeting of local governments to enable follow-up action is taken to curb it. However, he said the enforcement of PBT somewhat limited due to the operation to storm the centers are under the authority of the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP).
He said that local authorities do not operate alone but will constantly joined the integrated operations with other authorities such as police and the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry (KPDNKK). In additional, he added that the City Council of Penang Island (MBPP) and Seberang Perai Municipal Council (MPSP) will be only participate in operations led by the police, while the action to suspended the license will be taken after the businessman was found guilty.
