Report gangsterism to police — Mohd Salleh

by Geryl Ogilvy Ruekeith. Posted on December 23, 2010, Thursday KUCHING:  Rubber tappers who have been harassed by gangsters and forced to sell their products at a cheap prices so that the gangsters could manipulate the market, has been asked to come forward and report their case to the police.

State Police Commissioner Datuk Mohmad Salleh stated that the police needed co-operation from the public to provide details and lodge their reports, so that further action could be taken.
The said gangster groups were known to have threatened to harm those who did not comply with their demands.
Speaking to a press conference after the ‘handing over of duty’ for Deputy Commissioner of Police for Sarawak Contingent at its headquarters at Jalan Badruddin here yesterday, he said: “It could not be denied that there are complaints from the locals in Sibu, Sarikei and Bintangor regarding to rubber price control issue which has been manipulated by certain individual and gangster groups.
“The police have received information regarding the matter from the public, but more information and reports are needed to further identify more of those who were involved.”
However, he acknowledged that based on certain information already received, some of the gangster members have already been caught under Preventive Law actions.
Mohmad stated that to date, about 12 individuals from throughout the State involved in the acts of gangsterism regarding to the manipulating of the rubber market price has been identified and legal action has been taken against them under Emergency Ordinance.
He also did not rule out that some of the individuals were previously involved in the same crime before they were apprehended during the Ops Cantas Kenyalang in April 2007.
When the term of the Emergency Ordinance expired, some of the gangsters were back to their old antics.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the D8 team from the Sarawak Police headquarters Crime Investigation Department (CID) here managed to trace and caught six suspects involved in several house break-in cases in the city.
The suspects, five Chinese and a Malay were between 24 to 41 years old.
Two of the suspects has been previously caught under Emergency Ordinance relating to vehicle theft.
Together with the suspects, the Police also seized five vehicles of which four were reported missing here.
The location on where the fifth vehicle was stolen were still pending to investigation.
Total amount to the seized items were estimated at RM380,000.
All suspects would be placed on remand for three days.
The case is investigated under Section 457 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment and fine for the first offence and also could faced 14 years imprisonment and whipping for the second offence.
Based on CID research, it was reported that cases involving  vehicle   theft  has decreased  but for house break-in where the owner’s vehicle was also stolen, the cases were increasing.