KUALA LUMPUR, March 6 — PAS is standing by Kelantan’s tough anti-gambling law which has drawn fire from its DAP ally, with party secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali saying the state’s stand was for the wellbeing of all religions and races.
The Islamist party and the secular DAP are part of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) political pact that has yet to settle on a common policy on this issue in the states under their control, as Mustafa acknowledged in a statement today.
“Because this issue involves the matter of principle and policy, I will bring this matter to the top Pakatan Rakyat leadership for a serious discussion and solution,” he said.
“Pakatan Rakyat must have clear policy on this because it concerns the wellbeing of the people,” he promised, in what appears to be a bid to soothe ruffled feathers on both sides.
Mustafa said the law had been in place for the past 20 years and urged all parties to see it in a wider scope instead of being couched in Muslim or non-Muslim terms.
He noted that the controversy was raised because the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government and its biggest component party, Umno, had “legalised gambling”.
“What needs to be seen in this controversy is the bad repercussion due to gambling,” he said.
“In my humble opinion, this activity is opposed by all religions and the principle of humanity towards establishing a good family, society and country,” he pointed out.
The latest flashpoint between the two parties was reached when PAS Youth chief, Nasrudin Hassan, called on PR-ruled states last week to lead the way for a nationwide ban on lottery sales and all other forms of gambling.
Nasrudin’s suggestion earned a reprimand from DAP chairman Karpal Singh, who stressed that gambling for non-Muslims was a right provided under federal laws.
“As long as it (gambling) is legal and it is in some instances, then it should be legal across the board in the country.
“Why should it (the law) be confined to certain areas and not Kelantan? In this case, it is the federal laws that apply, not the state laws,” Karpal was reported saying in a news conference in Penang yesterday.
Karpal, who is also Bukit Gelugor MP, also called for Kelantan to lift its gambling ban.
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| Mustafa said gambling was frowned upon by all religions. — file pic |
KUALA LUMPUR, March 6 — PAS is standing by Kelantan’s tough anti-gambling law which has drawn fire from its DAP ally, with party secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali saying the state’s stand was for the wellbeing of all religions and races.
The Islamist party and the secular DAP are part of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) political pact that has yet to settle on a common policy on this issue in the states under their control, as Mustafa acknowledged in a statement today.
“Because this issue involves the matter of principle and policy, I will bring this matter to the top Pakatan Rakyat leadership for a serious discussion and solution,” he said.
“Pakatan Rakyat must have clear policy on this because it concerns the wellbeing of the people,” he promised, in what appears to be a bid to soothe ruffled feathers on both sides.
Mustafa said the law had been in place for the past 20 years and urged all parties to see it in a wider scope instead of being couched in Muslim or non-Muslim terms.
He noted that the controversy was raised because the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) government and its biggest component party, Umno, had “legalised gambling”.
“What needs to be seen in this controversy is the bad repercussion due to gambling,” he said.
“In my humble opinion, this activity is opposed by all religions and the principle of humanity towards establishing a good family, society and country,” he pointed out.
The latest flashpoint between the two parties was reached when PAS Youth chief, Nasrudin Hassan, called on PR-ruled states last week to lead the way for a nationwide ban on lottery sales and all other forms of gambling.
Nasrudin’s suggestion earned a reprimand from DAP chairman Karpal Singh, who stressed that gambling for non-Muslims was a right provided under federal laws.
“As long as it (gambling) is legal and it is in some instances, then it should be legal across the board in the country.
“Why should it (the law) be confined to certain areas and not Kelantan? In this case, it is the federal laws that apply, not the state laws,” Karpal was reported saying in a news conference in Penang yesterday.
Karpal, who is also Bukit Gelugor MP, also called for Kelantan to lift its gambling ban.
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