IPOH, March 1 — Thirty-one Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) personnel who have been identified colluding with the Macau Scam syndicate and online gambling activities will face severe punishment soon.

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador said that the results of investigations had been submitted to the Police Force Commission (SPP) for further action.

He said that they were previously suspected of being involved in the Macau Scam syndicate, orchestrated by Zaidi Kanapiah, more well-known as Addy Kanna, and Goh Leong Yeong, or Alvin Goh.

“The Department of Integrity and Standard Compliance has already completed the investigations and submitted the paper to SPP, chaired by Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin.

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“This is because we view the offence as very serious, in the interest of the people. Hence, as the Inspector-General of Police I have taken it to the top to be tried as fairly as possible,” he said.

He said this at a media conference on the PDRM Orang Asli Constable Basic Course Series 1/2020 closing ceremony at the Main Shooting Range, General Operations Force (GOF) Northern Brigade, Hulu Kinta, near here, today.

He said that the officers and personnel involved faced the sack, demotion and salary deductions, those being among the punishments that SPP could impose on them.

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Prior to this, the media reported that Addy Kanna and Goh were detained by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) after they were found conducting Macau Scam and online gambling activities targeting victims in China, and working with cheating cartels abroad.

MACC also detained and investigated several popular celebrities, police officers and personnel who protected the syndicate.

In the meantime, Abdul Hamid said that the PDRM had submitted an application to the Public Service Department (PSD) to ease conditions for the recruitment of Orang Asli into the Senoi Praaq unit, including in terms of physical qualifications.

He said that the police would also negotiate with PSD to secure flexibility for applications into the Senoi Praaq unit to use the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) compared with only using the Lower Secondary Assessment (PMR) prior to this. — Bernama