Ex-PAS Ulama chief prods ministers to speak against special draw increase
A former PAS chief cleric has urged the party’s ministers to speak against the increase of “special draws” for number betting companies.
Former PAS Ulama wing chief Mahfodz Mohamad said that in a Malay-Muslim government there should be less gambling, not more.
“I am not happy with the government’s decision...
A former PAS chief cleric has urged the party’s ministers to speak against the increase of “special draws” for number betting companies.
Former PAS Ulama wing chief Mahfodz Mohamad said that in a Malay-Muslim government there should be less gambling, not more.
“I am not happy with the government’s decision (to increase special draws). Although the current government is Malay-Muslim, these draws should be reduced, not increased,” he was quoted as saying by Free Malaysia Today.
“Knowing what is ‘halal’ and ‘haram’, PAS ministers must voice out (their opposition) as they are now part of the government.
“Just because we are a minority in the government, it does not mean we can’t voice out,” he added.
Previously, the Pakatan Harapan federal administration reduced the number of annual special draws from 22 to 11 in 2019, and to eight in 2020. This is on top of three “normal” draws in a week.
The special draws were first introduced in 1999 to raise funds for Nipah virus victims.
However, the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government, which took over from Harapan, reportedly restored the number of special draws back to 22.
PAS was a member of the PN government and is part of the current government as well.
The increase of special draws was confirmed by Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz in Parliament on Sept 20.
Mahfodz said the increased special draws would encourage more sin, especially among rural Malays.
“With the increase in the number of 4D draws, it will encourage people to sin, especially Malay-Muslims in rural areas, and this worries the Muslim majority.
“The government must remember that Islamic governments do not want the profits of the world alone but the profits of the hereafter,” he said.
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