According to the Borneo Post, a 28-year-old man was fined 10,000 Malaysian Ringgit (approximately $2130) by the Kuching Magistrate's Court for participating in online gambling activities using his mobile phone. If the fine is not paid, the man will face six months of imprisonment.
The defendant, Tiruparen K. Perumal, admitted to violating Section 4B(a) of the 1953 Common Gaming Houses Act, after which Magistrate Mason Jaro Lenya Barayan delivered the verdict. This section stipulates that each gaming machine involved can be fined from 10,000 to 100,000 Malaysian Ringgit, with a maximum imprisonment of 5 years.
At the time, the police raided a cafe located at seven miles in Kota Sentosa. Based on intelligence, the police suspected illegal gambling activities at the location.
It is important to note that under Malaysian law, if a mobile phone is used to manage or facilitate gambling activities, it can be classified as a "gaming machine".
In this case, the defendant was suspected of providing credit top-up services for an online gambling website. Expert analysis of the phone confirmed that it had been used for gambling credit transactions, supporting the prosecution's charges.
Tiruparen's defense lawyer was Russell Lim. The prosecution argued that the mobile phone, being used as a device during the operation, meets the legal definition of a gambling machine, and therefore should be subjected to the minimum penalty. This verdict highlights the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to curb the growing trend of mobile gambling.
