Former senior politician Osu Sukam has been ordered to pay debts of more than RM7 million that he ran up at a British casino.

Osu, once a federal minister, chalked up the debt when the casino at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in London allowed him to gamble on credit.

Ritz Hotel Casino and RHC Limited won a British court judgement in 2003 to recover the sum owed.

But when they applied to a Malaysian court for enforcement, a High Court judge rejected the case, arguing that gambling had a negative impact on public welfare and that countries should not allow recovery of such debts.

A three-judge panel in the Court of Appeal however yesterday overturned that dismissal, saying the judge erred in his ruling, according to the New Straits Times and the Bernama state news agency.

They allowed the appeal by creditors the Ritz Hotel Casino and RHC Limited to force Osu, a former chief minister in Sabah, to come up with the RM7.14 million in outstanding debt.

Malaysia frowns upon gambling, which is forbidden in Islam, and Osu's huge debts angered Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and triggered calls for an investigation into his wealth.

Osu, who retired from active politics in 2001, also resigned from his post with the ruling Umno following the scandal.