Pubdate: Fri, 18 Aug 2000
Source: Star, The (Malaysia)
Copyright: 2000 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd.
Contact:  13 Jalan 13/6, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Website: http://www.thestar.com.my

LING: FULL BACKING FROM PUBLIC

KLANG: The MCA campaign against Ecstasy pills and horse-racing gambling 
machines is slowly but surely becoming a powerful people's movement, said 
party president Datuk Seri Dr Ling Liong Sik.

"Illegal video arcades are closing one by one.

"In Raub, I am told by Yen Yen (Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen, Wanita MCA chief and 
Raub MP) that all 81 arcades have been closed with co-operation from the 
police.

"This is the same everywhere else, the illegal electronic gambling centres 
are closing business,'' he said at the 51st party anniversary dinner 
organised by Klang MCA here on Wednesday.

Dr Ling added that the anti-social ills campaign had snowballed into a 
powerful people's movement as the public agreed with MCA that social 
menaces must be eradicated before they corrupt society.

He said the Ecstasy pill peddlers were also feeling the heat as the police 
intensified raids on entertainment outlets.

Although some MCA leaders had been threatened because of the war against 
these two social menaces, Dr Ling pledged that leaders and the party would 
not give up.

"Today, I reassure you of our commitment to wage war against pills and 
gambling for the sake of our younger generation.

"We will not back off. We may face obstacles but we will not run away 
because justice is on our side,'' he said.

Dr Ling said the fight against pills and horse-racing gambling machines 
must continue because operators were constantly finding new ways to entice 
the youths.

Ecstasy pill peddlers, said Dr Ling, would start to lure students by 
offering cheap psychotropic pills.

"These unscrupulous people offer the low-grade pills to students at prices 
between RM15 and RM30 each compared with the high-grade pills costing more 
than RM100 each.

"These cheap pills are even more harmful compared with the pure pills.

"We must continue to alert our youths and teach them to say 'no' to 
pills,'' he said.

Dr Ling urged parents to show love and concern to their children, instead 
of neglecting the children and letting them fall prey to bad company.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart