Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim vows stronger action against illegal gambling, citing billions seized but acknowledging sophisticated online challenges.
KUALA LUMPUR: The government will intensify its crackdown on illegal gambling activities across the country. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stressed that enforcement actions have already resulted in the seizure of billions of ringgit.
He acknowledged several significant challenges in curbing these activities within Malaysia. “It is not easy because online gambling operators are sometimes based overseas,” Anwar said during the Dewan Rakyat’s oral question-and-answer session.
He highlighted the sophisticated electronic mechanisms used by these illegal operations. “Secondly, the electronic mechanisms are highly sophisticated — they can open and shut operations quickly,” the Prime Minister added.
Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, was replying to a supplementary question from Fong Kui Lun (PH-Bukit Bintang). The question centred on whether action against illegal gambling operators serves as a complementary measure to plug revenue leakages.
This would mean fiscal consolidation efforts do not rely solely on reducing subsidies. In addition to strict enforcement, the government is focusing on enhancing public accountability and awareness.
The aim is to educate the public on actions that contravene the country’s laws.
