Will sports betting be legalised or not in Malaysia? The question has resurfaced in the wake of a parliamentary reply from premier and Finance Minister Najib Abdul Razak that once again leaves the matter wide open.

Replying Mahfuz Omar (PAS-Pokok Sena), he said the government has yet to award any licence for betting services tied to the ongoing Fifa World Cup 2010.

NONE "The government will offer the licence to Ascot Sports Sdn Bhd for bookie services (not including the World Cup 2010) because this company has been given prior approval to conduct the activity,” said Najib ( left ).

"As such, the government feels that, if the sports betting licence is considered, Ascot Sports will have an advantage based on their experience.”

The terms and conditions of the licence were stated in the reply, as was the government’s justification of the licence - to bring in controls and to curb the flow of funds to countries where betting is legal.

Just last month, Najib had said the government would not legalise sports betting due to vociferous opposition to the plan. The announcement came after he chaired an Umno supreme council meeting, at which the decision was made.

Asked a puzzled Mahfuz, speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby today, “So is the government going to legalise sports betting after all, for other tournaments or leagues like the English Premier League?

“The reply should have just reiterated what (Najib had) announced previously. Now he will need to issue a clarification.”

He said the way the decision was made also puts the status of sports betting in question, as the cabinet should have decided on the matter.

‘Own up, Najib’

Mahfuz, also the PAS vice-president, told Najib to own up if he has made a mistake and not blame anyone else, as de facto law minister Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz did recently.

NONE Nazri (right ) had blamed an officer as the source of misleading information on a purported plan to move Parliament House to a new building in Putrajaya.

“We should not put the blame on government officers because all (parliamentary replies) should have been vetted by the minister involved,” noted Mahfuz.

“What if those who were to ask Question 1-20 were absent yesterday and my question had to be answered in the Dewan (Rakyat)?”

(Questions before the Dewan Rakyat are listed in the Order Paper for each day of the sitting. If there is insufficient time to respond to all within the allotted time, the government representatives issue written replies.)

The answer also puts in jeopardy the credibility of replies provided to the Houses, said Indera Mahkota MP Azan Ismail.

“By right, the replies are the official statements of the government and have greater credibility than statements made by a political party. So which has higher status now, Parliament or the Umno supreme council?” he asked.

VIDEO | 7.46 mins