70% of gang members are Indians, followed by 25% Chinese and 5% Malay
Of Indian gangs and Chinese gangs
Malaysia Kini
August 27, 2013
Kuala Lumpur: The Gang 04, that made headlines lately, and other notorious gangs with Indians as their core figures such as Gang 08, Gang 36 and Gang 18 originated from Chinese traditional organised crime organisations or triads.
These gangs are now run by Indians and the once Chinese "taiko" (big brothers) have morphed into financial backers, many of whom have legal businesses.
According to a report in Sin Chew Daily today, Federal police (Bukit Aman) Criminal Investigation Department director Deputy Commissioner of Police Datuk Hadi Ho Abdullah said Indians account for more than 70% of underground societies followed by Chinese, with more than 25%, and Malays, at 4.77%.
Police sources said Gang 36, and not Gang 04, is the country's most notorious triad. The 36 gang is an off-shoot of the long existing Chinese triad, Hung Meng Hooi.
There are still Chinese in Gang 36 but most of them are financial backers and are involved in real estate and other legal businesses.
Gang 36 started to become active in the '70s and is said to be one of the two gangs responsible for most of the drug dealings in the country. The other is Gang 18.
Gang 04, which saw five of its members shot dead in a police raid recently, is a spin-off from the Wah Kee secret society, which was very active in the '80s.
Criminologist Prof Dr P. Sundramoorthy told Sin Chew that there are over 100 secret societies in Malaysia that have moved out from the strictly disciplined organisational structure of the triads of yesteryears.
Many of them are the result of triad members setting up shop on their own.
"Unlike in the past, the present gangs recruit members from various races and dabble in different kinds of illegal activities such as prostitution, gambling and drugs.
It is hard to estimate their numbers," said Sundramoorthy.
This has led to the mushrooming of Indian-dominated gangs and the more notorious among them are Gangs 04, 08, 18, 21 and 36.
He said many gang members, upon mustering enough support and manpower, break away from their bosses to form their own gangs.
Very often, these spin-offs clash among themselves, adding to social problems and taxing the police force.
Of Indian gangs and Chinese gangs
Malaysia Kini
August 27, 2013
Kuala Lumpur: The Gang 04, that made headlines lately, and other notorious gangs with Indians as their core figures such as Gang 08, Gang 36 and Gang 18 originated from Chinese traditional organised crime organisations or triads.
These gangs are now run by Indians and the once Chinese "taiko" (big brothers) have morphed into financial backers, many of whom have legal businesses.
According to a report in Sin Chew Daily today, Federal police (Bukit Aman) Criminal Investigation Department director Deputy Commissioner of Police Datuk Hadi Ho Abdullah said Indians account for more than 70% of underground societies followed by Chinese, with more than 25%, and Malays, at 4.77%.
Police sources said Gang 36, and not Gang 04, is the country's most notorious triad. The 36 gang is an off-shoot of the long existing Chinese triad, Hung Meng Hooi.
There are still Chinese in Gang 36 but most of them are financial backers and are involved in real estate and other legal businesses.
Gang 36 started to become active in the '70s and is said to be one of the two gangs responsible for most of the drug dealings in the country. The other is Gang 18.
Gang 04, which saw five of its members shot dead in a police raid recently, is a spin-off from the Wah Kee secret society, which was very active in the '80s.
Criminologist Prof Dr P. Sundramoorthy told Sin Chew that there are over 100 secret societies in Malaysia that have moved out from the strictly disciplined organisational structure of the triads of yesteryears.
Many of them are the result of triad members setting up shop on their own.
"Unlike in the past, the present gangs recruit members from various races and dabble in different kinds of illegal activities such as prostitution, gambling and drugs.
It is hard to estimate their numbers," said Sundramoorthy.
This has led to the mushrooming of Indian-dominated gangs and the more notorious among them are Gangs 04, 08, 18, 21 and 36.
He said many gang members, upon mustering enough support and manpower, break away from their bosses to form their own gangs.
Very often, these spin-offs clash among themselves, adding to social problems and taxing the police force.
