Tiong, who is also a Justice of the Peace, said in a statement he had received numerous calls from the victims, adding that “some complainants were even in tears when they said the gangsters had almost squeezed them dry”.

He said the complaints were about gangsters demanding “tax” from the sale of gas cylinders, calculated on the numbers sold.

“There are similar complaints about them “taxing” businessmen for the transport of sand and earth, counting it by the cubic metre of the lorry transport.

“If these allegations are true, this is blood-sucking. I’m calling on the police to ab these criminals. The people must be protected.”

Tiong said after he received these complaints, he became worried.

“I make this appeal today as the SPDP youth chief and as the party coordinator of central Sarawak. I feel sad for these victims. If so many were complaining in a day, the situation would be quite serious.”

He said as the police conducted ‘Ops Cantas Kenyalang’ in major towns, many of the gangsters might have gone into hiding in the interior, and they might be trying to establish their influence there.
“Such cases must be checked in Kapit and well as other small towns like Kanowit and Song.”

He questioned that if these gangsters could go about in broad daylight to commit crimes, “where are the policemen?”

“There are detectives throughout the State. Don’t they have information on this? Will they act only when there are complaints? Their duties are to open their ears and eyes to prevent crimes.”

He said he would be disappointed with those police officers who sat in their air-conditioned offices just waiting for crime reports from their subordinates.

“For a police officer who only read reports, he might not see the true picture. He needs to go to the ground with his men.”

He said the people in Sarawak were fed up with gangsters and gangsterism and poor security.
“The police must act fast. Reading reports in the office will not help.” 

He hoped the police in all districts would tackle these problems.

“I am calling on the people to work with the police as well.”