KUALA LUMPUR: The Prime Minister's instruction for outdated laws to be reviewed is timely given the current crime trends in the era of digital technology, says Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani.
The Inspector-General of Police said Bukit Aman welcomed the instruction as it could ensure a more effective means of curbing crime.
"One of the laws that needs urgent transformation and amendment is the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953. This law was enacted before the nation achieved independence, whereby gambling was done conventionally at that time.
"However, nowadays gambling is conducted online," he said when contacted on Saturday (June 18).
As gambling is being conducted online, it is hard for the police to produce solid evidence and take action against those responsible for the offence, the IGP said.
"The police fully support the government's aspiration in reviewing outdated laws that are seen as not relevant.
"Reviewing such laws will improve it to fit the needs of the latest developments and scenarios," he said.
On Friday (June 17), Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the legal affairs division in the Prime Minister’s Department would review existing laws, including 147 outdated ones.
The Prime Minister said improvements to the laws were needed to stay relevant in line with the latest situation and technological advancements.
“Digital technology is rapidly evolving. In this context, existing laws could be irrelevant, or somewhat backwards.
“The Common Gaming Houses Act, for example, only covers the enforcement of gambling activities at physical premises and not online,” he said during University Malaya’s Faculty of Law golden jubilee celebration.
Ismail Sabri said the government had taken proactive measures in strengthening the laws in Malaysia.
