Gambling money: Apologise to PN, Mahathir tells Anwar

SHAH ALAM - Federal Territories Perikatan Nasional (PN) urges Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to apologise following his previous statement associating PN with a gambling company.

Federal Territories PN Information Chief Mahathir Mohd Rais said Anwar’s claims that PN colluded with gambling premises for sponsorships were untrue.

“He (Anwar) must apologise because it was proven untrue since PN was never involved in any sponsorships from gambling companies to finance the party,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.

He said this after commenting on Kedah’s government decision to cease all gambling and lottery premises operations effective on Jan 1, 2023.

Mahathir said Anwar’s claims that the PN election funds came from an illicit source was a lie.

“PN urges the prime minister to make an open apology because it involved PN’s pride and reputation that were created through the results of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) and Pas.

“Now it’s proven that PN carries the image of Islam in its administration and it is not impossible to stop the licensing of gambling and lottery centres and it could be done at a national level,” he said.

Mahathir explained PN’s plans to close gambling dens in stages were among the agendas of Pas and Bersatu; however, that plan had been in motion for a long time.

“The matter had been agreed between the PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and deputy chairman Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang that Islam will become the axis of the governance,” he said.

Anwar, through a previous statement claimed a portion of the election funds for the coalitions came from a gambling company involved with lucky draws.

Anwar said the Finance Ministry found ‘violations’ in awarding contracts amounting to RM600 billion without a tender that occurred during PN’s governance.

The media reported on Sunday that all gambling and lottery premises in Kedah were shut down completely on Jan 1, 2023, following the decision of the state government not to renew the gambling license.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor ordered the local authorities to monitor and ensure all premises followed the orders decided on November 2021.