By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 13: The fight against covert illegal gambling allegedly operating in convenience stores and coffeeshops in Sarawak has erupted into a heated political spat between Kota Sentosa assemblyman Wilfred Yap and Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak member Michael Kong, with both trading barbs over who is truly taking action.
Yap, in a counter statement today, accused Kong of “politicising” the issue with “misleading comparisons” between the powers of a State assemblyman (ADUN) and a member of parliament (MP), stressing that enforcement of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953 falls squarely under the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM).
“In Sarawak, all councillors, mayors, chairmen and community leaders are appointed by the State government through the Ministry of Public Health, Housing and Local Government (MPHLG).
“As a backbencher, I do not have operational authority over local councils or the police,” he said, stressing that enforcement against illegal gambling under the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953 falls under the jurisdiction of the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM).
Yap stressed that local councils can only revoke business licences once the police confirm illegal gambling activities through investigation and raids. Without this, councils risk legal action for wrongful revocation.
He pointed out that examples cited by Kong, such as Covid-19 standard operating procedure (SOP) enforcement or plastic straw bans, involved council by-laws, not criminal offences.
“As an elected representative, my role is to raise community concerns, lodge reports, and follow up with enforcement agencies — which I have consistently done. What I will not do is mislead the public into thinking that a speech in Parliament, without follow-up action on the ground, closes gambling outlets,” Yap added.
In a statement today, Kong fired back, accusing Yap of employing Sarawak United Peoples’ Party’s (SUPP) “favourite tactic” of shifting blame while “pretending to be powerless”.
“By his ill argument, if an ADUN has ‘no power’ to get local councils to act, then likewise an MP has ‘no power’ to get the police to act. Yet he singles out Chong for ‘not doing enough’ while ignoring his own inaction,” he said.
Kong, who is the special assistant to DAP Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen, argued that local councils like Kuching South City Council (MBKS) and Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) have shown they can revoke licences for prohibited activities, citing past actions including MPP’s revocation of four licences in 2017 for illegal gambling and MBKS’ threats to revoke licences for SOP breaches or continued use of plastic straws.
“These examples prove that local councils can take firm action when they choose to. However, now they simply lack the will to act against these illicit activities. Thus far, only Chong has had the courage to raise this issue publicly in Parliament.
“Yap has never once brought this matter up in the Sarawak Assembly. Instead, he appears more focused on shutting down Opposition voices with Standing Orders or issuing statements in support of Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS),” he asserted.
Kong urged SUPP leaders and local councils to “take the bull by the horns” and clamp down on the problem instead of passing the buck to the police, saying every level of government has a role to play.
While the political crossfire continues, MBKS has moved to tighten cooperation with the police. Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng, after meeting Kuching District police chief ACP Alexson Naga Chabu on Aug 12, pledged full council backing for joint enforcement operations.
Wee also recently raised the rising threat of online gambling with PDRM Bukit Aman’s Extremist and Social Threats Division principal assistant director Dato Mohammad Shaharul Md Osman, calling for federal intervention to tackle what he described as an escalating menace to public safety and community well-being. — DayakDaily
