Pakatan Rakyat's tiny demonstration against the federal government's approval of a football betting license proceeded successfully in Penang without any interruption from the police.

More than 20 Pakatan supporters participated in the rally, which took place in front of the Sungai Nibong mosque area at 2.30pm today.

The NONE protestors carried placards which screamed slogans like: Reject football betting, Reject Umno BN , Youths arise and reject football betting , We Malaysians reject the federal government's approval of football betting licenses, Where is the Islamic State?"  and '1Malaysia' legalises gambling .

A cynical banner was seen carrying the statement: Lets us support BN government so that we can be 'blessed' - This is ‘1Malaysia' - by We Are Still Muslims Association".

During the rally, which was held after the Friday prayer time, Penang PKR Youth chief Azrizal Tahir criticised the federal government for approving the betting license, saying, "As Muslims, we are well aware that gambling is haram in the eyes of Islam".

'People not consulted'

National PKR Youth exco Amizudin Ahmad demanded the federal government withdraw the gambling license.

NONE "Gambling can definitely increase crime in this country," he said.

Recently, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak issued a football betting license to Berjaya Group without undergoing an open tender process.

 

The decision has received a lot of flak from various religious and civil groups who are against legalised gambling as a cause of social ills.

Penang Suaram coordinator Ong Jing Cheng questioned why the license was approved without prior consultation with the people.

"Is this ‘1Malaysia'? Najib says 'people first' but he never consulted the people on this and then approved the license for his cronies," said Ong.

"Hasn't he learnt anything from BN's defeat in the Sibu by-election?" he asked.

"I am not a Muslim but I still protest on this issue because the government never consulted the people over this," he added.