KUALA LUMPUR: No new laws will be introduced to counter cybercafes that operate as unlicensed gambling dens, but this does not mean that such illegal online casinos will be ignored, the Malaysian government said.

Datuk Leo Moggie, Energy, Communications and Multimedia Minister, said the government would not introduce new legislation because this would be tantamount to Internet censorship.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad has guaranteed IT investors that Malaysia would not censor the global network. Last year, Dr Mahathir cancelled an order calling for cybercafes to record customer details, for the same reason.

Cybercafes will continue to be seen by the authorities as being no different from any other licensed business, said Moggie.

He said errant cybercafe operators would face punishment under existing laws.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Norian Mai has already warned that cybercafe owners who flout the law can be banished from the state under the Restricted Residence Act.

"We will not hesitate to banish such operators to stop it (online gambling) from becoming a major problem," he said last week.

Norian said investigations showed an increase in cybercafes which were operating as online casinos in the Klang Valley. Police have identified 21 such cafes so far, according to him.

Last Tuesday, police raided a cybercafe at Taman Miharja in Cheras that was allegedly operating as an electronic gambling outlet.

Since then, the government is considering having a set of guidelines attached to cybercafe licences to help curb such abuses.

Datuk Ong Ka Ting, Housing and Local Government Minister, announced that the guidelines would plug loopholes in the law without interfering with the running of cybercafes.

At present, there is no set of rules governing cybercafes, which are encouraged by the government because they help enhance Internet awareness among Malaysians.