Friday, Aug 31, 2012
Are gangsters taking control of Kuala Lumpur's entertainment scene?
Club owners claim that gangs are in control of the city's popular entertainment enclaves at Jalan P Ramlee, Changkat Bukit Bintang and Heritage Row along Jalan Doraisamy, Malay Mail reported.
Their concern came after the double murder of bouncers by a gunman outside Madurai Club at Heritage Row last Sunday.
Four patrons were also injured in the shooting. The police have yet to find out the motive behind the killing, but investigations did not discount the possibility of a turf war involving rival gangs.
The owners claimed that they are at the mercy of these gangs and have no choice but to hire their members to provide security, even if they do not have any experience or training to handle delicate situations.
A club owner, who did not want to be identified, said: "That's why we end up having people as young as 18 becoming bouncers.
"But we want professional bouncers who would be able to defuse a situation and protect the reputation of the club."
The owners also claimed that the gangs are aggressively manoeuvring to capture more of the lucrative bouncer market.
Situation out of hand
The owners added that they are raising their concerns with the media because the situation is getting out of hand.
Said one owner: "We are in a fix. The police can't help us and the gangsters can shut us down if we don't give in to their demands."
There are also demands that the authorities enforce closing times of entertainment outlets. Madurai Club often operates until 5.30am, the report said.
Last Sunday's incident was unprecedented in KL's entertainment industry.
The bouncers, Mr Mohd Akmal Gemain, 21, and Mr Mohd Nor Firdaus Rashid, 20, were shot in the head and left rib, respectively.
A police spokesman said 10 suspects, aged between 21 and 37, had been nabbed in an operation in the Klang Valley.
"The manhunt for the shooter is still on and we are getting some vital leads," he added.
Are gangsters taking control of Kuala Lumpur's entertainment scene?
Club owners claim that gangs are in control of the city's popular entertainment enclaves at Jalan P Ramlee, Changkat Bukit Bintang and Heritage Row along Jalan Doraisamy, Malay Mail reported.
Their concern came after the double murder of bouncers by a gunman outside Madurai Club at Heritage Row last Sunday.
Four patrons were also injured in the shooting. The police have yet to find out the motive behind the killing, but investigations did not discount the possibility of a turf war involving rival gangs.
The owners claimed that they are at the mercy of these gangs and have no choice but to hire their members to provide security, even if they do not have any experience or training to handle delicate situations.
A club owner, who did not want to be identified, said: "That's why we end up having people as young as 18 becoming bouncers.
"But we want professional bouncers who would be able to defuse a situation and protect the reputation of the club."
The owners also claimed that the gangs are aggressively manoeuvring to capture more of the lucrative bouncer market.
Situation out of hand
The owners added that they are raising their concerns with the media because the situation is getting out of hand.
Said one owner: "We are in a fix. The police can't help us and the gangsters can shut us down if we don't give in to their demands."
There are also demands that the authorities enforce closing times of entertainment outlets. Madurai Club often operates until 5.30am, the report said.
Last Sunday's incident was unprecedented in KL's entertainment industry.
The bouncers, Mr Mohd Akmal Gemain, 21, and Mr Mohd Nor Firdaus Rashid, 20, were shot in the head and left rib, respectively.
A police spokesman said 10 suspects, aged between 21 and 37, had been nabbed in an operation in the Klang Valley.
"The manhunt for the shooter is still on and we are getting some vital leads," he added.
