Sports betting: 'Let’s hear it from the Cabinet'

By FMT Staff

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s announcement revoking his decision to legalise sports betting is still “unofficial”, according to anti-gambling movement GMJ.

GMJ chairman Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid said this was because the decision was arrived at after an Umno supreme council meeting and not a decision made by the Cabinet.

Azmi said while the movement welcomes Najib’s decision, it, however, must be announced clearly to the public that it was a decision made by the Barisan Nasional government and not just Umno.

He was commenting on Najib’s announcement on Friday night that the government would not be issuing the sports betting licence to Ascott Sports Sdn Bhd.

Najib, who is also Umno president, said the decision was agreed upon unanimously by members of the Umno supreme council.

“We accept the Najib's decision but it must be announced as a Cabinet decision and not made by one political party alone,” Azmi said yesterday.

He said that although Najib had rescinded his earlier decision on gambling, GMJ will not dissolve itself but would instead continue to voice its objection to the vice.

July 3 rally to continue

This, he said, was because the revoking of the licence was a “small decision” when compared to the reality of a rapidly expanding industry in the country.

“We, GMJ, will continue to object to any form of continued gambling activities because the Prime Minister’s decision is only a small part of a bigger issue of an expanding industry.

“We will consolidate GMJ at national and state levels and develop more aggressive campaigns to educate the public on the vice and will continue to do so until we achieve our objectives,” he said.

As such, Azmi added that the July 3 anti-gambling protest by GMJ will not be cancelled.

“The only difference now is that the July 3 rally will not have a procession. We will still go ahead with the handing over of a memorandum to the Yang diPertuan Agong.

“We will still have leaders of NGOs and political parties speaking out on the issue,” Azmi said, adding that GMJ expected some 10,000 people to join the demonstration.

Relieved women

Meanwhile, Najib’s announcement has eased the concerns of women in the country.

Said a woman spokesperson for Pakatan Rakyat’s anti-gambling secretariat (Sendi), Salbiah Abdul Wahab: “It’s a huge relief to hear the announcement.

“We were concerned for the women whose husbands have a tendency to gamble. Legalising gambling during the World Cup would have made it worse.

“For those whose spouses are habitual gamblers, it would have been suicidal. Most affected would be the women and children.”