KUALA LUMPUR: It is time to review outdated laws to match current criminal situations and trends, especially in the digital age, said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani.
The nation's top cop said the federal police supported the call to review old laws as it would ensure efficiency in battling crime.
"One of the laws that needs immediate transformation and amendment is the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953. This is because the act was enacted before independence, when gambling was done conventionally.
"Nowadays, gambling is done online," he said when contacted today.
He said it was difficult for police to present solid evidence against culprits when gambling was conducted online.
"Police fully support the government's proposal to review laws that are no longer relevant.
"Flaws in these laws can be improved to match current trends."
Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister's Department had been instructed to study and review several articles of legislation, including 147 "archaic" laws.
He said the review would establish whether these laws would be amended or abolished.
He said this was among the significant legal transformations undertaken by the government to keep up with developments and changes in time.
In his speech at Universiti Malaya's Faculty of Law's Golden Jubilee Celebration, he cited as an example the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953, which only covers enforcement on gambling activities that involve physical premises, but not online gambling.