The controversial nod by the federal government for legal sports betting in the country is expected to be furiously debated at the 56th Muktamar of the Islamic party PAS in Kota Bharu.

Two resolutions against legalised gambling were passed by two of its wings last night and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has adopted a tough stance on the issue, which he said goes against the very tenets of Islam.

If this mood holds, the party could well pass a resolution at its current sitting, calling for a blanket ban on gambling.

This means taking into consideration the Ulama wing's resolution last night urging the federal government to impose a blanket ban on all forms of gambling with the Youth wing endorsing a similar ban, but confining it to sports betting.

NONE And in the same vein, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang ( centre in photo ), while delivering the policy speech before some 2,000 delegates and observers at the muktamar this morning, condemned the federal government's move to issue the sports betting licence.

"The government's action in re-introducing sports betting in our country is an act that strays far away from Islam's teaching and the accepted norms of Malaysian society," he told the party faithful at the Islamic Tarbiyah Centre in Pengkalan Chepa, Kelantan.

NONE "This shows that the government is bankrupt of ideas on how to develop our economy and is leading the nation down a backward road," he said.

Hadi added that on the basis of this "weakness and failing" of the government, PAS should strive to "mobilise solutions and major changes to our country".

This may herald more stringent measures and vocal outcries from the party over its objection to gambling, and to sports betting in particular.

The PAS delegates are due to debate on the motions approved later this afternoon.

'Rights of non-Muslims to be considered'

Quizzed about the matter at a press conference afterwards, Hadi said the party would take into consideration the rights of non-Muslims in its decisions on the issues of sports betting and gambling .

NONE "We have a council at the Pakatan level (to discuss this), but we are aware that even in the states that we control, we must consider the rights of non-Muslims. We consult with non-Muslim religious leaders, we ask them what is allowed in their religion and what is not,"  the PAS president added.

He explained that in Islam, non-Muslims cannot be prevented from practising what was allowed by their religions.

However, Islam was not the only religion that banned gambling, as the activity was widely labelled as a social ill and frowned upon by the other faiths as well.

In Malaysia so far, gambling has already been banned in the states of Kelantan and Terengganu (under the previous PAS administration), a precedent which may soon be followed by the other Pakatan states, at least those under PAS control.

Hadi in his adddress also borrowed a page from federal ministers by urging PAS members to be wary of blogs and other sources of online information.

" NONE Be careful when surfing the Internet and the borderless blogs. We are living in a time that is filled with lies. First you must verify every information that you come across.

"In the face of this challenge, in the open arena of information technology, we must not be influenced or suffer a loss because of the ‘luncais' (losers) from outside our party, who roam around with their antics (false news)."

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