More tough talk on Malaysian illegal gambling

Malaysia’s Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was in the local news again this week with more tough talk on his plans to stamp out illegal land and online gambling .

The minister revealed that progress has been made on the introduction of a specialised task force on organised crime, which will include the eradication of online gambling in its responsibilities.

He revealed that the initial composition of the unit would be 200 experienced officers, based in the capital Kuala Lumpur, but with a nation-wide mandate as necessary.

The province of Selangor, where there are allegedly over 2,000 illegal gambling rings, would be a priority, he noted.

The minister maintained his hard-line rhetoric in announcing the new arrangement, warning land and online illegal gambling operators that the government meant business, and advising them to shut down before they were forced to do so by the police.

He also voiced a special caution for police commanders who were not devoting sufficient time and energy to eliminating illegal gambling, warning that he would not hesitate to send in federal forces if they were not up to the task.

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