YOURSAY 'It is not the duty of the gov't to make people more religious. After all, the gov't cannot guarantee safe passage to heaven anyway.'

Zaid: Hypocritical to stop Muslims from gambling

your say, Yoursay Multi Racial: I totally agree with former de facto law minister Zaid Ibrahim that it is not the duty of the government to make people more religious or follow religion closely. After all, the government cannot guarantee safe passage to heaven anyway.

In times like this when we are running short of money, the government should re-look into their priorities.

1. Money should go into essential to help the people so subsidies are still needed for most items.

2. Non-essential should be cut immediately and I am sure all the ministries can easily cut by 30 percent each starting with the PM's Office which we know are allocating too much for non-essentials.

Can the PM explain why he is using taxpayers' money to pay his Umno politicians who lose in elections? Can the PM explain why he and his wife need to use private jets while other governments don't need to?

Can the PM explain why we are not been transparent with out tender? Can the PM explain why we need to subsidise power producers and tolls? Please for once do something right.

Whatshappenning: It is only in Malaysia that we are imposed with so much of unnecessary man-made laws when actually there are so many important issues to address like men simply divorcing their wives without any reason and without their knowledge.

And talking about gambling, the Malays can go to Singapore casino to gamble if they want or even other overseas countries, it is not restricted.

YUNoAnon: Good shot, Zaid. Call a spade a spade, and do so in the open. Because it is true. They think themselves so holy but would still tax gambling activities and take the money. Hypocrites.

Swipenter: No one can force anyone to be pious and God-fearing, not even God himself. Promises of immortality (heaven) and hell after life doesn't work for everyone.

Belief in God or one's relationship with God has to be personal and an individual one but these so-called soldiers of God can't leave God alone to do his work.

The problem with some religions is they want to interfere with every aspect of your life but not wanting to teach us that we have to take personal responsibility for one's own actions or inaction.

They assume the role of God on earth pretending that they know the ultimate design of God for Man forgetting we are a minuscule fraction of billions of the mathematically incalculable universe.

Ribena: Does the Malacca government know that profits from gambling is also taxable and becomes part of the government's source of income, and I am sure the government does not make distinction if the money/fund is halal or not. Whether this fund can be used for Muslims or non-Muslims only.

That would mean theoretically the money could be used for anything, including funding government projects, Umno campaigns, or even religious expenses. Talk about being hypocritical.

Anonymous #02382443: If these religious zealots want to stop people from gambling, then they should tackle the issue at source. Get the government to ban and stop issuing of licences to all gambling corporations, 4Ds, casinos, horse racing, sweepstake lotteries, one-arm bandits, etc.

SpongeBob: Don't stretch the religious principles of a minority extreme group to an extent that affects the basic human rights of the majority. It's being stupid to do so.

Harapanbaru: Shut down Bursa Malaysia, formerly known as the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange or KLSE immediately. What do you think goes on there every single day? Not only hypocritical but damnably stupid, too.

Factnot fiction: Isn't corruption, murder, racial discrimination and cheating 'haram' in Islam? I guess not according to Umno.

Anticommunalist: I say ban gambling! It's the king of vice in Malaysia. From Genting to Vincent Tan, they all need to be stopped at all costs. Heroin trafficking and illicit liquor consumption, smuggling, distribution and manufacturing need to be stopped, too.

Ksn: Gambling is universally accepted is a bad practice which has destroyed many, many families but it is an irresistible compulsion for many.

But in Malaysia, in spite of the so-called enforcement by religious Islamic bodies, in my observation, not a few gamblers are Muslims. Just go and observe the outlets of Magnum, etc, for a first-hand observation.

As some have very correctly pointed out, most of those trading in the share market are Malays. If that is not gambling, what is? Zaid has pointed this out to the fanatics, exposing them.

Keep speaking on such matters of absurdity, which the Muslims in Malaysia are compelled to follow blindly. I wonder why.

Fourtan: Thank you, Zaid Ibrahim. For all practical intents, the Malays are already living largely secular lives in Malaysia. The Umnoputras are living ultra-secular lives, I would say. In Umno Malaysia, Islam is only a tool of control & convenience.

Fair Play: Zaid, here is the confusion. As I understand it, smoking is also 'haram'. But Muslims are openly smoking them like a chimney. Is it because someone controls the cigarettes distribution channel?

Disgusted: Don't forget to mention our country is led by an alleged murderer, corrupt crook and philanderer - the only trouble is he is untouchable because he is in power and all the institutions of government are under his control.

NoBN4me: Muslims cannot gamble but Malays can...

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