Get rid of illegal casinos gambling now !

SINGAPORE: Police have arrested five men in a raid on an illegal gambling den in a private apartment at Geylang Road.

I REFER to “Bet illegal casinos can be weeded out” (see below). They should not be allowed to thrive. They are a nuisance and must go.

I hope the enforcement agencies work on this immediately. Stop giving excuses that this cannot be done.

Such nefarious ways and activities must be put to an end. Have the political will to do so and we will see to their demise.

What is also shocking is how illegal massage parlours, budget hotels, nightclubs, pubs, video arcades and other unhealthy businesses have cropped up of late?

Did the state governments give permission for them to operate? Whatever it is, please see to it that they stop functioning.

Their presence is bad. Trust me, nothing good comes from casinos and gambling.

Gambling is addictive and leads to compulsive gambling problems and unhealthy obsessions; it promotes crime, sin, stupidity, laziness, arrogance, greed, selfishness, entitlement and neglect of one’s family, among others.

BULBIR SINGH  Seremban

Bet illegal casinos can be weeded out

IT is known as the street that never sleeps. And for all the wrong reasons.

Because of the proliferation of gambling outlets, businesses along the same street, both legal and illegal, operate non-stop to cater to the demands of the gamblers.

In another part of the Klang Valley, one road is regarded as the hottest gambling spot in town, with 20 outlets along a single stretch.

The Star's investigation into the e-gambling dens in Klang, Selayang, Batu Caves, Kepong and Petaling Jaya reveal that these casinos in the streets thrive because the authorities turn a blind eye to what is going on under their jurisdictions.

Enforcement is lax even when these outlets in highly-popular zones are so easily identified.

We are not talking about illegal activities that operate in the boondocks, where their locations are tightly-kept secrets and you may need special passwords to gain access.

As our expose today on similar outlets in Penang reveals, we are talking about such illegal activities in two of the most developed states in the country.

The local authorities and enforcement agencies are certainly well-equipped to deal with situations like these.

The modus operandi seems simple enough. By day, they are typical business outlets, but by night they transform into bustling gambling dens.

The enforcers should be working round the clock to close them down.

The real action happens after dark, when not only gamblers head to these places, but also others seeking other services, like sex, to unwind after a hard day's work.

One law enforcement official claims that the operators of the illegal e-casinos play “hide-and-seek” with the authorities and often disappear before raids are conducted.

Meanwhile, the local authorities claim that they cannot do anything about the rising gambling menace either because the residents do not complain officially or that the other enforcement agencies are not doing their part.

While that may be the case, such scenarios are common and should not be used as an excuse not to take the necessary action.

The enforcement officials can station themselves in these areas.

The licensing authorities can shut down even the legitimate businesses in the daytime if they have evidence that they are being used for illegal activities at night.

Rather than blame one another over the lack of action, everyone can, and should, work as a team to ensure that our streets come alive, in the day or at night, for only the right reasons.

Otherwise, casinos in the streets will simply spawn crime in the streets.

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Video games turned casinos gambling in Penang

Huge gambling slot machines draw punters to illegal centres

Not so innocent after all: One of the video games arcades that offer gambling slot machines in Sungai Nibong.

GEORGE TOWN: Some video games arcades in Penang are doubling as mini casinos where punters can try their luck on huge gambling slot machines.

One, in Bandar Baru Air Itam here, looks just like any other video games arcade as children, women and the elderly can be seen having a fun time inside the premises.

But it turns out that the main draw at the place are the huge slot machines which can be played by six punters at a time.

For RM10, a punter is given 20 tokens worth 100 credits to gamble with.

At one machine, punters earn credits if they are able to hit targets.

A check revealed that several video games arcades and amusement centres here as well as in Sungai Nibong, Macalister Road and Bandar Baru Air Itam have such slot machines apart from the usual video games for children.

Some even have snooker tables and indoor golf simulation games to make them one-stop entertainment outlets.

These premises are equipped with closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and some have tontos (lookouts) stationed outside to sound the alarm if there are enforcement authorities.

Some of the premises are located in secluded shoplots and have tinted windows to avoid detection. There are also operators who only admit regular customers.

Many punters even bring along their spouse and children. While they gamble, their spouse and children play the usual video games.

A punter, who declined to be named, said winning about RM30 a day was enough to pay for three meals.

“But you must know the timing, technique and tactic to win lah,” he said.

Penang police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Abdul Rahim Hanafi said they had “zero tolerance” against the operators of such illegal centres.

He urged those with information to contact the police hotline at 04-2691999.

“Please, furnish us with details of the premises that offer such activities. We will immediately launch a crackdown,” he said. “I won't allow gambling activities in Penang as it will surely cause social problems.”

Penang municipal councillor Iszuree Ibrahim believed that video game arcades could have abused their licences to run such outlets.

“We will not hesitate to revoke their licences and take stern action against them,” he said, adding that the licences had to be renewed quarterly. - The Star

Malaysian living standards declining?

MOST Malaysians who joined the ranks of the employed in the 1970’s can look back and say that they were better off than those doing so now.

Ever since the 1970’s, the increase in salaries in general has lagged behind rising prices of goods and services across the board.

Take the case of a fresh university graduate who joins the public sector. Back in the 1970’s he would be drawing a basic salary of RM750 per month whether he was a doctor, an administrator or an engineer.

The RM750 may look paltry today but back then the sum was enough to cover almost all living expenses plus some balance for savings for the future.

Today, a fresh university graduate who joins the public sector receives a basic salary of about RM2,400 (a three-fold rise over the 1970’s) but he has to spend frugally in order not to be in debt.

The purchase price of a 24ft x 75ft double-storey terrace house, say in Petaling Jaya, was only RM40,000 back in the 1970’s. Today, the purchase price of a similar type of house in a similar location is around RM800,000 (a 20-fold rise).

A 1,200cc Japanese car back then was priced at RM7,000. Today, a 1,200cc local car is priced at RM50,000 (a seven-fold increase) while an imported Japanese version is priced at RM70,000 or even RM80,000 (more than a 10-fold rise).

A plate of economy rice with four dishes back then cost only 60 sen. Today, a plate of economy rice is not so economical costing at least RM6 (a 10-fold jump in price).

A bowl of wantan mee or prawn mee cost only 30 sen back then. Today, a similar bowl costs at least RM3 (a 10-fold rise).

A long-sleeved shirt back then could be bought for only RM5 (locally-made) or RM9 (foreign brand).

Today, a locally-made similar shirt costs RM60 or even RM70 while a foreign branded shirt is well over RM100.

The purchasing power of today’s ringgit has depreciated about 10 times compared to that of the 1970’s.

This effect of a faster rise in prices over the rise the salaries has led to a decline in the living standards of Malaysians in general over time.

This in turn has resulted in a shrinking middle income group and an expanding low income group in Malaysia.

In the 1970’s, a fresh graduate who was employed could be classified as a member of the middle income group.

Today, an employed fresh graduate belongs to the low income group.

Small wonder many people today resort to borrowing for consumption to live through the day.

Credit card companies or even Ah Long have no shortage of clients. The national consumption debt, both public and private, is rising at an alarming rate.

The BR1M1 and BR1M2 are only quick fixes for temporary relief.

In the long run, efforts to generate a sustained increase in productivity are the only viable solutions to address the problems of price of goods rising faster than salaries.

These include downsizing the public sector, reducing corruption, adopting desired policies like meritocracy, raising educational and training standards, and so on.

OLD TIMER Penang The Star/Asia News Network