THE Timah controversy has just settled, a storm in a teacup or, more aptly, a whisky glass when Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor instructed Kedah’s 10 local councils to stop renewing business licences for 4D shops.  

This move is in line with PAS’s go-to politics of moral policing, or rather its selective implementation.

Let us say there are 20 Sports Toto outlets in Kedah and about the same number for its competitors, Magnum and Da Ma Cai. That is 60 SMEs that would close.

Assuming just four employees each, that’s 240 more unemployed people, not counting the business owners, part timers like cleaners and contractors, stalls and food vendors that spring up outside these outlets to peddle their wares.

Not only does the MB’s decision deny non-Muslims their right to gamble, it denies all these livelihoods, some that are unrelated to gambling and are performed even by Muslims. 

The pragmatic thing to do would be to regulate its activities, limiting the number of draws or its operating hours. Closing on Fridays, for instance, out of respect for the Muslim day of prayer, or during Ramadan fasting hours.  

In this extremely challenging economic climate, a little pragmatism goes a long way, but PAS has never been one for pragmatic policies, or even consistency. 

In fact, some of their actions are downright contradictory.  

PAS is still a member of the ruling coalition that still allows Genting Highlands and other smaller gambling facilities in private clubs to operate, and which  increased the number of lotteries’ “special draws” annually, from eight to 22.

Alcohol sales restrictions would also affect the international travel bubble to Langkawi.  

After sightseeing, what do the authorities expect tourists, especially those from Western countries, to do in the evenings? Read a book in their hotel room? 

There’s also the question of revenue. Sin tax contributes significantly to our national coffers. 

When it becomes overtly over-regulated, punters and drinkers alike turn to more illicit means to fulfil their vices. 

A 2020 Straits Times report cited RM1 billion loss of revenue annually to illegal number forecast betting, not including sports and other forms of betting. 

Making it illegal would only divert punters to turn to gambling syndicates to get their fix, rendering the so-called positive social effect useless. 

Instead of PAS touting it as just a religious restriction, and often overstepping its bounds in saying to act on behalf of other religions as well, the party could use a more balanced and moderate approach to achieving the same goal, instead of being combative and less logical.

It could channel the tax more responsibly. Even if used separately from the consolidated fund, it can be used for non-Muslim affairs.  

In Singapore for example, gambling isn’t only regulated by the state, it is run by a state government agency.

A sum of S$1.8 billion (RM5.53 billion) is channelled back to the government in taxes in 2020 alone, not including the hundreds of millions channelled by the Tote Board to charity, arts, education and the like.

Singapore imposed a levy on locals gambling in their casino of S$50 per entry, and this alone generated S$177 million for the government last year. 

Similarly, local companies too, perform heavy corporate social responsibility, most notably to vernacular schools. These take the burden off the government that is already hard pressed for funds to equip schools competitively. 

PAS’s push for a religious agenda is well within its rights and up its political alley, but it should consider the economic repercussions first, fill them, and then move on with its agenda. 

It should also remember that it actually lost the last federal elections and, with 18 MPs, is the smallest bloc within the Malay-Muslim demographic, meaning more Muslims voted for a moderate stance and the “liberal” DAP, which has more than twice PAS’s seats in Parliament.

Even in Kedah, it was equally matched and lost 60% of contested seats. 

With taking on Umno and PH, PAS would want to preserve every advantage instead of alienating non-Muslims even more. – November 17, 2021.

* Emmanuel Joseph firmly believes that Klang is the best place on Earth, and that motivated people can do far more good than any leader with motive.