Malacca cops to create Telegram group for info on stolen goods

 

Malacca police will create a platform that gathers traders of second-hand goods through the Telegram application in an effort to prevent the sale of stolen goods in the state next year.

Malacca contingent police headquarters Management Department chief Makhzan Mat Nor said it was an initiative to ensure that traders of second-hand goods comply with the rules under the Second-Hand Dealers Act 1946 (Act 189).

"This year, licences have been issued to 369 traders to conduct second-hand sales with regular monitoring by the police.

"Through the Telegram platform that will be created, the police will provide information on theft activities, especially involving vehicles to current traders so that they do not buy and report it to the police to curb the crime of theft from spreading," he said.

He said this to reporters after a joint-operation in collaboration with local authorities and the Malacca Health Department in Melaka Tengah and Jasin today.

Commenting further, Makhzan said if the second-hand licence holder was found to have committed an offence, especially under Section 13 of the Second-Hand Dealers Act 1946 for buying stolen goods, his team would not hesitate to recommend to Malacca Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali to revoke their licence.

He said only the chief minister had the right to revoke business licences under the act while the police only had the power to approve the licence application.

He said from Jan 1 until yesterday, a total of 650 premises had been inspected throughout Malacca involving 404 inspections by the Central Malacca district police headquarters (IPD), 105 inspections by Alor Gajah IPD, 102 inspections by Jasin IPD, and 39 inspections by Melaka IPD.

In the operation, three premises inspected were each issued compounds under Section 6 of the Second-Hand Dealers Act 1946 (Act 189) for not having a licence to conduct the business.

Additionally, four notices of Destruction of Disease-Bearing Insects Act, 1975, were issued, along with two Jasin Municipal Council (MPJ) Licensing Compounds Trade 2011 for running a business without a licence and two MPJ compounds for keeping dogs without a licence.

In addition, a compound was issued on the Municipal Warehouse By-Laws 1979 of the Malacca Historic City Council (MBMB) for using premises as a store/warehouse for second-hand goods without a licence, and an MBMB Breeding House compound for keeping dogs without a licence and a notice to comply with the MBMB License Terms to arrest six dogs in front of the premises.

- Bernama