Malaysia, as a respected Islamic country on the international stage, has a population comprising various ethnicities. Approximately 35% of its citizens practice Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, and other religions. Islam strictly prohibits its followers from engaging in gambling, prostitution, and alcohol consumption. However, to meet the needs of non-Muslim communities, the government has issued licenses for gambling businesses and the sale of alcohol. Nevertheless, prostitution remains illegal and is subject to legal action.
The Issue of Illegal Gambling in Malaysia
One of the major ongoing issues in Malaysia is illegal gambling activities, which remain difficult to eradicate despite frequent police raids on related premises.
According to research by IAN, police operations against illegal gambling premises are often perceived as mere rhetoric without genuine sincerity. These raids are alleged to be based on “reten” or “reserve,” indicating collusion between the police and gambling syndicates to deceive the public. Such operations are reportedly staged in a way that results in no prosecution or only the imposition of the lightest legal penalties to present an illusion of police success while meeting Key Performance Indicators (KPI).
Illegal Gambling & Corruption Issues
The presence of illegal gambling syndicates in Malaysia directly opens avenues for corruption, leading to internal conflicts among police officers and between the police and gambling syndicate leaders.
This activity largely depends on the leadership of the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM). If the Inspector-General of Police does not give implicit approval, these activities would not persist. However, if enforcement is lax, these syndicates will continue to operate freely.
For example, a police officer named Shahril, who served in Kuala Lumpur as the Chief Operations Officer of the Gambling Division, was arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) after being found with more than RM3 million in cash. To this day, he has not been prosecuted for the offense. This raises the question: Would an officer like Shahril dare to collect money from illegal gambling syndicates without approval from higher authorities?
Complaints & Public Perception
IAN has also received several complaints from individuals dissatisfied with illegal gambling activities in Perak, which are allegedly controlled by a tycoon from the Porsche company. It is understood that only this syndicate is allowed to operate, while others are barred due to a lack of connections with senior police officials.
This situation raises a significant question: Why has the Inspector-General of Police, a Malay Muslim, not taken firm action to eradicate illegal gambling syndicates? This perceived lack of seriousness has fueled various negative perceptions about the integrity of the PDRM.
Besides Islam, Christianity also prohibits gambling, as stated in the Bible:
Luke 12:15 –
“Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
There are also suspicions that illegal gambling activities may be used as a source of political funding to ensure the survival of certain parties in Malaysia’s political arena.
Impact on the Nation’s Economy & Society
IAN plans to conduct sentiment analysis to evaluate public concerns about this issue and to study its impact on Malaysia’s political, economic, and social landscape.
The Malaysian government must act promptly, as the presence of illegal gambling has negatively affected foreign investment. Investors are losing confidence as workers and production operators spend their wages at illegal gambling establishments, leading to decreased productivity.
As a result, many investors choose to relocate to other countries that are more stable and free from such illegal activities.
If this situation continues, not only will the integrity of the police be compromised, but the country’s economy will also face long-term negative consequences.
