PETALING JAYA: The government should consider the social implications when considering issuance of betting licences.
The People's Movement Against Gambling (GMJ) felt the concerns highlighted were not about religion, but also a matter of family well-being and national development. The government on Monday admitted it is yet to issue the licence to Ascot Sports Sdn Bhd to carry out sports betting operations in Malaysia.Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, in a written reply to questions from four MPs in the Dewan Rakyat, said the government has yet to conclude its discussions and terms concerning the legalisation of sports betting.He added that the matter was still open to feedback from various parties.Tenaganita president Irene Fernandez said not only Malaysians but migrant workers in the country, too, would be affected by legalised sports betting as they would want to place bets out of desperation to earn more money for their families back home.
"Already, there are many cases of migrant workers being cheated in multi-level marketing schemes and lotteries," she said. "Our position is the government should have rejected the application from the onset."We don't want the PM to issue any such licence that could turn football into a betting game rather than a healthy sport," she stressed.
Malaysian Islamic Youth Force (ABIM) president Muhd Razak Idris said legalised sports betting would not only encourage a gambling culture but also lead to more gambling activities. "ABIM encourages the government to be considerate with the people's demands against legalising sports betting," he said. "We are firmly against sports betting because of its impact on society. And from the perspective of Islam, gambling is strictly prohibited as it degrades moral values. It also makes family members turn against one another and in extreme cases, pushes one towards bankruptcy. "The earnings from legalised sports betting will not return to the rakyat, but instead will circulate among those in the industry.
"GMJ will submit a memorandum to our King with the hope our views will be heard and understood," said Razak, adding that the memorandum will be delivered by about 100 supporters. Meanwhile, Perpaduan Melayu Teras Perpaduan Nasional (TERAS) president Mohd Azmi Abd Hamid said any form of gambling begets a corrupted society. "Gambling is tempting and can be an easy way out for desperate people. Even worse is the impression legalised gambling creates — everything can be won with a stroke of luck and this goes against the principles of hard work and diligence. "In Poland for example, the people there were against virtual casinos and fought against such corruption," he said. Azmi also dismissed the notion that the government can earn revenue from legalised sports betting activities.
"In the first place, the government has to learn how to control its cash flow and prevent misuse of public funds if it wants to prevent bankruptcy. Talk of possible earnings from legalised sports betting are used as camouflage for making the rich even richer," he said. GMJ has demanded the government revoke the sports betting licence. "The issue is the approval of sports betting and not who gets the licence. "We will proceed with our campaign. The majority of the people are against this and the government should not bow to gambling lobbyists," it said in a statement to The Malay Mail.
It was reported that 53 NGOs, along with several political movements, have joined GMJ which was launched in Kuala Lumpur last Saturday. The government said that by legalising sports betting, it could gain up to RM1.2 billion in tax revenues, and that rampant illegal gambling would be curbed. Berjaya Group head Tan Sri Vincent Tan's privately owned Ascot Sports Sdn Bhd reportedly applied to operate sports betting activities from the Finance Ministry in June 2003, for which it will pay RM25 million for a 20-year concession. However, then PM Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi shot down the proposal, saying the government would not give any licence to legalise football betting in the country. While betting on football is illegal in Malaysia, it has been legal in Singapore since 1999.
Source : The Malay Mail