Perak police deny mafia activities in Kuala Sepetang

The Perak police today refuted an allegation that mafia activities were rampant in Pekan Kuala Sepetang, Bagan Panchor and Pulau Kuala Sangga that these small towns have become haunts for criminals.

Acting state police chief Datuk A. Paramasivam described the allegation as baseless as the police had not received any report on mafia activities there.

"We do not deny there are incidence of crimes such as drug abuse, smuggling, but these crimes are not as feared by residents or the business community there.

"I do not deny the presence of triads, but mafia is not is not right," he told a media conference here today.

He was commenting a newspaper report on Kuala Sepetang, Bagan Panchor and Kuala Sangga were being overrun by being controlled by mafia groups.

Paramasivam said that if the situation in the three places was as claimed, tourists would not go there.

He advised journalists to get the views of the police before writing such a report, adding that a village head in one of the areas concerned had lodged a police report, claiming that the newspaper report was baseless.