KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 — Some private clubs in the country included licensed gaming centres among their facilities, the police said.

However, Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director Datuk Seri Abd Jalil Hassan stressed during a press conference yesterday that such gaming facilities were expressly prohibited to Muslim members and patrons.

The senior police official also explained that hosting a licensed gaming centre did not preclude these clubs from offering other services and facilities that were accessible to Muslims.

"They have coffee houses and swimming pools, among others, for their members’ use.

"But for Muslim (members), they are not allowed to get into the gaming centres inside the clubs,” he was quoted as saying by the Malaysiakini news portal.

Abd Jalil added that police regularly monitored gaming outlets to ensure that all applicable laws were being obeyed.

Malaysia’s shariah laws prohibit Muslims in the country from participating in gambling.