While the end is hardly in sight for the sports-betting mess, it appears that the licence is slowly slipping out of Berjaya boss Vincent Tan's hands.

Several high-ranking government sources have confirmed that Prime Minister Najib Razak is leaning towards not awarding the licence to mega conglomerate Berjaya Corporation, in response to the fierce public backlash.

In fact, some press secretaries to ministers, while saying that Najib has yet to decide on the issue, said that they have been told to be prepared for the eventuality of the final curtain for the issue.

A government source also said that Najib is aware of the extreme political risk of going through with his initial intention.

"All these opposition parties will not let him go if he were to carry on with the licensing," said the source.

Media circus causing "discomfort"

But in the meantime, the source added that the media circus, some of which were Tan's own doing has brought much discomfort to the cabinet.

vincent tan sports betting "I don't think the PM was very happy after that press conference which Tan ( left ) gave," he said, referring to the June 5 announcement where the business magnate said that he would donate all of the RM525 million received from the sale of his stakes in a subsidiary to his foundation

The source said that the press conference only added more fuel to the fire, called ironically just two days before it was made public that the government has yet to decide on the matter.

Two days after the rare press conference by Tan, Batu MP Tian Chua revealed that Najib in a written reply to him in Parliament had said that the issuance of the licence was pending "public feedback".

While Najib has remained relatively mum over the entire issue, except to tersely say on Tuesday that the licence has yet to be given out, Berjaya has also maintained that they had "approval" from the government with their announcements to Bursa Malaysia.

It is understood that the letter of approval had been given to Berjaya back in January signed by former deputy finance minister Chor Chee Heung.

Pending re-issuance

Ascot Sports Sdn Bhd, one of Berjaya's subsidiaries, was initially granted the licence in 1987, but proved to be an unprofitable venture before the advent of satellite TV and the Internet in Malaysia.

It was revoked in 2004 under then premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, but it is now "pending re-issuance" as stated by Berjaya.

If issued, sports-betting will come alive in 220 selected Sports Toto - also part of Berjaya's group of companies - outlets in West Malaysia come September in time for the highly popular English Premier League.

Berjaya also plans to offer the service through the telephone, estimated to make up 70 percent of total revenue, with betting on other popular sports apart from football.

However, the Pakatan Rakyat governments of Penang, Selangor and Kedah have thrown a spanner in the works for Berjaya by banning sports betting in their respective states.