22/04/2026
Pertiwi Progresif, together with Bantu Sarawak, paid a courtesy visit to the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) Sarawak, meeting with Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Saifullizan bin Ishak, and his team at the Sarawak Contingent Police Headquarters.
Our discussions centred on three pressing issues of growing concern in Sarawak, online gambling, loan shark activity, and drug abuse. We also explored building a more structured collaboration to support PDRM’s efforts in tackling these crimes and social challenges.
We left with a shared understanding and clear vision: grassroots awareness campaigns must be ramped up aggressively. NGOs, local communities, and enforcement agencies need to move under a unified approach for the impact to be genuinely felt on the ground. As DCP Saifullizan himself put it, “Masyarakat perlu dididik”, and that resonated deeply with us.
The legal gap is real and urgent. The Common Gaming Houses Act 1953 was written long before online gambling existed, and that void is being exploited today. That is why Pertiwi Progresif will be actively lobbying with Members of Parliament and relevant agencies to push for new legislation that expressly addresses online gambling and the realities of modern criminal activity. The law must catch up.
We also committed to consistently driving awareness through social media, amplifying the message, sharing ground realities, and keeping these issues in the public eye.
One concern that must be honestly acknowledged: DCP Saifullizan recognised that integrity issues exist within the force. This was brought into sharp focus by a recent case where a woman’s police report against a loan shark found its way back to that same loan shark. His willingness to acknowledge this openly was appreciated, and it reinforces why enforcement reform and community trust must be built together, not separately.
During the session, a memorandum was presented to DCP Saifullizan as a formal commitment to bringing the people’s voice and ground realities to the table.
This fight cannot rest on PDRM’s shoulders alone. It is a shared responsibility, one that communities, civil society, and enforcement must carry together.