A protest rally against sports betting will be held as planned on July 3 despite the government’s admission that it has yet to issue a licence to gaming company Ascot Sports Sdn Bhd.

NONE Fadhil Osman, the media liaison officer of the People’s Movement Against Gambling (GMJ), noted that the government appears to be sticking to its decision.

“(The government has) only said it will seek public feedback, but not that it will revoke its plan (to issue the licence),” he said when contacted.

GMJ will also continue with its plans to organise protest rallies across the nation.

The Finance Ministry, in a written reply to Parliament yesterday, had said that the government has not “finalised the discussion about the terms and agreements of the licence” to the company which tycoon Vincent Tan owns.

Fadhil said the answer was insufficient, claiming also that sports betting activities have already begun.

“Only the terms and conditions cannot be revealed, but in fact, the operations have already begun. If (the government) has cancelled the licence, it would have made an announcement.

vincent tan sports betting “Otherwise, (Tan, left ) would not have made a statement to persuade the Pakatan Rakyat state governments to accept the decision.”

As a reponse to mounting protest against sports betting, Tan had on Saturday pledged to donate RM525 million to his own charity foundation the Better Malaysia Foundation.

From Kedah and Perlis in the north southward to Selangor and Malacca, protests across the nation have seen thousands demonstrating against the federal government's move to legalise sports gambling.

The GMJ was launched last Saturday in Kuala Lumpur. Its leaders have announced plans to submit a memorandum on the matter to Parliament on June 15.

On July 3, GMJ, along with the Pakatan Rakyat, plan to deliver a memorandum to the Agong at Istana Negara urging his intervention.