PUTRAJAYA: The home ministry has identified 49 groups that are allegedly operating as criminal gangs.

“These organisations or secret societies are organisations involved in activities detrimental to the peace of society like drug trafficking, extortion, fights and murder using firearms or sharp objects,” said ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Abdul Rahim Mohamad Radzi.

The banned organisations include well-known gangs like Gang 04, Gang 08, Tiga Line and Gang 36.

They are deemed illegal under Section 5 (1) of the Societies Act 1966 as of Wednesday. As such, the groups cannot be re-registered, and their accounts and assets will be passed on to the department of insolvency.

“No one is allowed to operate under these groups as they could be charged both under the Registration Act or the Penal Code, and no one can reproduce logos or signs of these banned groups,” Rahim told a press conference yesterday.

He said a total of 40,313 people are registered members of these groups nationwide, of whom 1,923 are Malays, 8,214 Chinese, and 28,926 Indians. Another 329 people are based in Sabah and 921 in Sarawak.

Although many of the gangs are dominated by a single race, there were multiracial gangs as well, he said.

Revealing more details, he said Gang 04 (established in the 1980s) was involved in murder, drug distribution and car repossessing. Operating in Kedah, Penang, Johor and Kuala Lumpur, the gang members also serve as car park attendants and club bouncers.

There is also Gang 08 (established in the 1970s) which is involved in drug distribution, operating car parks and collecting protection money, and operates in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. Both these groups have predominantly Indian members.

Two other groups in the banned list — Tiga Line and Gang 30 — are involved in drug distribution, among others.

Rahim said the ministry hopes that in naming the 49 groups, the people will become more vigilant and assist the authorities in providing information that will facilitate investigations.

The police will reveal the logos and symbols of these banned groups at a later date.

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This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on August 30, 2013.