EXCO member for Local Government, Housing, Town & Country Planning Jagdeep Singh, at a press conference on Aug 16, responded to an English daily which published a report with the headlines “Cops Reveal Syndicate In Penang Cloning Licenses To Operate Gambling Den”.
“This article seems to suggest that the police requested the local authorities to stop issuing new entertainment licenses to put an end to the menace of online gambling mushrooming in Penang. The Penang state government is of the view that if there are illegal online gambling premises, certainly we do not condone that.
“For your information, the license issue involves the ‘public entertainment license’. These licenses are issued to premises which are now restricted to shopping complexes, hotels, markets and supermarkets. In fact, shop lots were earlier allowed but we banned it as of 1st of January this year,” he said.
“This shows that we do not encourage it but at the same time, you must understand that they are genuine operators. And I think one of the reasons we’re issuing licenses is to promote healthy family lifestyle,” noted Jagdeep, who’s also Datok Keramat assemblyman.
“All the while we have been working closely with the police (when it comes to issuing such licenses). If the police says no, we won’t issue the license. So, there’s no issue and no room for illegal activities. We cannot because of a few rotten apples, apply a blanket ban across the board,” added MBPP mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang.
Story by Victor Seow
Pix by Alissala Thian