Include Lawas in anti-gambling raids, Baru tells police

KUCHING: The police are urged to include Lawas in their round of anti-gambling raids.

“The report in today’s The Borneo Post about the antigambling raids by the police is certainly welcome news.

“I note that Lawas was not included in this round of raids and I would urge the police to also focus their efforts there,” said Ba Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian in a press statement received here yesterday.

Baru, who is state PKR chairman, said it was well known that besides drug abuse, cyber- gambling was also rife in Lawas and had been so for many years.

“In fact, I have reason to believe that the problem is growing and if unchecked, the repercussions on the family unit and society will be even more devastating.

“The latest information I received is that there has been an increase in the number of illegal cyber-gambling centres in Lawas to about 10 of 24-hour cybergambling centres in operation.”

Baru said Lawas folk were concerned that many operators had applied for trade licences from the district council for seemingly legitimate businesses but used the premises as cyber- gambling dens.

“Officers at the district council should vet these applications thoroughly and carry out inspections of the premises before issuing the business licences.

“Even after the licences are issued, it would be a good idea for the officers to carry out regular inspections of business premises to make sure they are not being used for illegal activities.”

Baru said if the district office, district council and the police worked together in monitoring the activities of dubious business operators, there was no reason for cyber- gambling activities to flourish in Lawas.

“Lawas is not a big town, and members of the public know what is going on in their town, and many are ready to assist by providing information to the police. I am aware that a few raids have been conducted in Lawas in the past and I wonder why there are still many of these illegal centres in operation.”

In these difficult economic times, Baru said more people were turning to illegal gambling in desperate attempts to get easy money, and inevitably got themselves into debt and more strife.

“I urge the state CID chief Datuk Dev Kumar to spread the police efforts to Lawas so that the double menace of drug abuse and illegal gambling can be brought under control and eradicated eventually.”