Karpal Tells PAS To Lift Ban On Ticket Sales
Sunday, 06 March 2011 13:56
The DAP has shot down a proposal from PAS to ban the sale of Big Sweep lottery tickets in opposition-ruled states.
Its national chairman Karpal Singh also called on the Kelantan government to lift the ban in the state.
He brushed aside Segambut member of parliament Lim Lip Eng's stand on the matter, saying it was his personal opinion.
Lim was quoted as saying that as a democratic nation, Malaysians should abide by the wishes of the majority and in Kelantan's case, Muslims were the majority although the ban had infringed on the rights of non-Muslims.
"Our stand is that as long as gambling is legalised, it should be adopted across the board in the country," Karpal said yesterday.
PAS Youth chief Nasrudin Hassan had called on opposition-ruled states to lead the way for a nationwide ban on lottery sales and all forms of gambling.
Karpal, who is Bukit Gelugor MP, said: "The law on gambling was passed in Parliament. The Parliament thought it fit even though the majority of the people in the country are Muslims.
"In this case, the federal law applies and not state law."
He also said gambling was a matter of choice.
It was reported that the Kelantan government had recently banned the sale of the Big Sweep lottery tickets. Three shops were raided and the owners were slapped with summonses for selling them last month.
The move has since raised the ire of the Chinese community and caused a public row.
MCA and Gerakan leaders have also condemned the ban, saying that the Big Sweep lottery was governed by federal laws.
MCA central committee member Datuk Ti Lian Ker, who met the shops owners on Friday, said the seizure of the tickets and slapping of summonses was ultra vires the constitution.
In Alor Star yesterday, MCA vice-president Datuk Chor Chee Heung condemned the Kelantan government for the move.
He said there were other pressing issues in Kelantan which needed to be addressed.
Meanwhile in Kota Baru, state local government, tourism and culture committee chairman Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan said the three shops were raided because the owners had violated the regulations of their premise licences which barred them from selling the tickets.
"This does not mean lottery tickets are illegal. The Kelantan government understands the limitation of its local government authorities' by-laws.
"We know we can't act against those selling the tickets as they are covered by the Lottery Act 1952.
"But shop owners have to abide by the regulations of their premise licences.
"These licences were issued by the local authorities and under the by-laws, the sale of lottery tickets are not allowed at the premises."
Takiyuddin further said that was why the owners were only issued summonses, adding that they could get back the lottery tickets after the compounds were paid.
