BY: NORHAYATI UMOR
SHAH ALAM, AUG 2: Entertainment premises that have been closed will not have the opportunity to apply for new licenses.
Local Government, New Village Development and Illegal Factory Legalisation Exco Ean Yong Hian Wah said the matter is still being discussed and will be decided soon.
He said, the State Government took the issue of illegal entertainment premises and gambling centres seriously, and that action will be taken, together in cooperation with local authorities.
“However, a more effective control on illegal gambling centres would be with the cooperation from the police to enforce the Crime Prevention Act 1959.
“Based on police records, there are a total of 21 licensed gambling premises in this state,” he said in response to a question from Datuk Johan Abdul Aziz (BN-Semenyih).
Hian Wah said that as of June 2016, there were a total of 1,293 gambling operators who were penalised while one operator was punished under the Crime Prevention Act 1959.
“In 2015, there were a total of 4,541 operators penalised under Section 4B (a) Open Gambling House Act 1953, State Entertainment and Entertainment Premise Enactment 1995 and Section 3 of the Health and Beauty Centres By-Law 2007 as well as Section 3 of the Local Government Act,” he said.
New licenses for closed entertainment premises will not be approved
