JOHOR BARU: In a major operation to combat illegal gambling activities in Johor, authorities have cut off the electricity supply to 86 premises across the state.
Johor police chief Comm Datuk M Kumar (pic) said that between Feb 25-26, a large-scale operation was carried out, involving the cutting of electricity supplies and the cancellation of business licences at unlicensed gambling premises.
"This operation was launched to focus on halting online gambling, unlicensed public lotteries, and other gambling activities. The operation was a joint effort between the police, local councils, and Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB)," he said in a statement on Tuesday (4 March).
Comm Kumar added that the actions were taken under Section 4A(a) of the Open House Gambling Act 1953, concerning unlicensed public lottery agents, and under Sections 4B(a) and 4(1)(c) of the same Act in relation to online gambling.
"This operation was conducted as a strict measure to combat illegal gambling activities in Johor and to ensure that the affected premises do not resume operations and continue these illegal activities," he said.
From the 86 premises, 19 were located in the Iskandar Puteri police district, 14 in Johor Baru South, 11 in Kota Tinggi, 10 in Johor Baru North, seven in Muar, six in Batu Pahat, five in Pontian, four in Kluang, three in Segamat, two in Mersing, and one in Tangkak.
Comm Kumar also noted that seven premises in Muar and one in Tangkak had their licences revoked by the respective local authorities.
"Throughout 2024, Johor police have actively taken action against gambling activities in collaboration with other enforcement agencies. As a result of such joint efforts, 391 premises had their electricity supply cut off by TNB, and local councils cancelled 78 business licences for involvement in illegal gambling activities," he said.
The police chief added that the police had also submitted a request to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to block access to online gambling websites.
"This effort demonstrates the authorities' ongoing commitment to curbing gambling activities for the wellbeing of the public. The police have never compromised when it comes to tackling gambling-related offences. We consistently monitor and inspect premises suspected of being involved in gambling, and operations will continue," he said.
Comm Kumar also reminded property owners who lease their premises to third parties to ensure that illegal activities are not taking place.
He further encouraged the public to cooperate by reporting any information on gambling or other criminal activities to the Johor police hotline at 07-2212999.
