By Elton Gomes
RM1.2 mln gambling equipment destroyed
KOTA KINABALU: The Kota Kinabalu police contingent (IPD KK) disposed of 6,185 units of gambling machines and computer sets through ‘e-waste’ method worth close to RM1.2 million yesterday.
Sabah Deputy Police Commissioner Datuk Zaini Jass said the machines and computers were seized in 141 cases around the state capital between 2002 and 2015.
Among the items that were disposed of were 1,417 monitors, 1,402 CPUs, 46 gambling machines, 1,355 keyboards, 1356 mouses, four printers, 15 modems and 50 speakers.
Also included were 540 chairs and RM29,779 in cash, he said.
“The disposed items were worth RM1,121,600 that were seized from 141 cases between 2002 and 2015.
“The cases have been settled and we received court orders to dispose of the evidence,” he said at a press conference at the Kota Kinabalu police store unit in Kepayan.
Also present to witness the disposal of seized items were deputy city police chief George Abdul Rakman, senior police officers, officials from the Sabah Environment Department, Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Public Works Department and Syarikat Legenda Bumimas Sdn Bhd.
Zaini said the Environmental Quality (Scheduled Wastes) Regulation 2005 under the Environmental Quality Act 1974 identified electronic waste as e-waste and it had been listed as scheduled waste by the Department of Environment (DoE) as it was flammable, corrosive, reactive and also toxic to the environment.
Meanwhile, Zaini said the Royal Malaysian Police were serious in the fight against illegal gambling activities.
“We will not compromise with any individuals or parties who are involved in this activity.
“If found guilty, they can be charged under under Section 4B of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953 which carries a fine of a minimum RM10,000 to a maximum of RM100,000 for each gambling machine seized as well as a jail term of not more than five years,” he said.