Online gamblers, including kids, owe plenty to sharks, says MCA man

PETALING JAYA: An MCA veteran has rung the alarm on illegal online gambling, saying it has lately caused many people, including children, to become prey to loan sharks.

Michael Chong, who heads MCA’s public services and complaints bureau, told FMT 350 cases had been brought to his attention since January and these involved debts totalling RM30 million.

“Parents come to me crying after finding out their children took money from ah longs to gamble,” he said, adding that many of them had thought the children locked their rooms because they wanted to study without being disturbed.

With adult debtors, he said, it would sometimes be their wives who went to him crying.

He spoke of jobless adults who would initially make some money, especially from free bets. “Maybe they make RM1,000. After that, they want more. So they borrow. Then they get into trouble with the ah longs.”

He said gamblers who had steady jobs would borrow from loan sharks in hopes of making a quick buck but would often “end up busting all their money”.

Chong has been with MCA’s complaints bureau for 30 years.

Of the cases of online gambling he was currently handling, he said, two thirds were cases of addiction.

Many of the people making up the other third were trying to make money to impress foreign women, he added. “It becomes a lot messier when their wives find out.”

He said the complainants went to him for help in dealing with loan sharks. “I call the ah longs and ask them to try to settle the problem with the gamblers without getting anyone injured. What else can I do?”

He also spoke of cases in which the gambling syndicates refused to pay those who won big money, saying nothing could be done since the operations were illegal.

He proposed that the government legalise some of the online gaming operations so that Malaysians who win could be assured of payment.

“The industry can be curbed by having proper regulations,” he said.

“The government can also collect taxes from the operators.”

In Britain, the Gambling Commission requires online operators to verify customers’ details before allowing them to gamble. - FMT