PUTRAJAYA – Police are intensifying their efforts to track down the syndicate that hired the production house that made Hari Raya Aidilfitri-themed commercials promoting online gambling.
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department deputy director (intelligence/operations) Datuk Dev Kumar said initial investigations showed that two such videos that recently came to light were made by the same production house.
“We will track down the party that hired the production house to make the two videos,” he told a press conference here today.
“As of now, we only have the producer and actors. They have a middleman, and from there, we can reach the syndicate responsible for engaging with the production house.”
To date, he said, 13 people have been arrested to facilitate the probe, with nine detained over the first video, and the rest after the second commercial surfaced.
The case is being investigated under Section 504 of the Penal Code, Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, and Section 4(1)(G) of the Common Gambling Houses Act 1953.
Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) chairman Fadhlullah Suhaimi Abdul Malek, who was present at the presser, said action will be taken against individuals who continue to upload the ads on social media.
“We urge the public not to spread the videos, as the content is not good.”
MCMC has stepped up efforts to remove copies of the ads online, with the cooperation of platform providers including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
In Kuala Lumpur, Dang Wangi district police chief Mohamad Zainal Abdullah said four actors in the second ad were arrested in Ampang yesterday.
The three men and a woman, aged between 24 and 32, have been remanded for two days, starting today, to assist in the probe.
“The four actors received a payment of RM200 each to appear in the video, slightly more than what the actors in the first video got, which was RM180.” – Bernama, April 18, 2021
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