GEORGE TOWN: Police are intensifying its Op Cantas crackdown on gangs ahead of the Deepavali festival.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the move was to identify and nab secret society gang members with the coming of festivals, especially the Chinese New Year and Deepavali.
"I've been informed that some gang members are trying to collect protection money from the public.
"Don't think that the police are unaware of the gangs' plans and movements. We are planning operations to stop this criminal activity," he said after the bestowing of the Pingat Jasa Pahlawan Negara on recipients by Penang Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas at Dewan Sri Pinang, here.
Wan Junaidi urged the public not to bow to the demands of the gang members extorting protection money but to cooperate with the police to curb such activities.
He said that he would announce soon, 23 more organisations declared as illegal by the Registrar of Societies.
On another development, Wan Junaidi said police found it difficult to act against individuals who misused the social websites, including by insulting the royal institution, as the social websites were being protected by the service providers.
"Police need time to detect the individuals involved. In addition, the service providers sometimes do not cooperate with police. That's why it takes time for police to act against the culprits," he said.
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