Kedah PAS vows to continue fight against gambling after Federal Court ruling

Kedah PAS has affirmed its determination to combat gambling in the state, despite the Federal Court's refusal to accept the government's appeal against a ruling prohibiting the issuance and renewal of gambling premises licenses. Commissioner Datuk Ahmad Yahaya expressed disappointment with the court's decision, while acknowledging its legitimacy.

The Federal Court's three-member panel, led by Datuk Rhodzariah Bujang, unanimously dismissed the Kedah government's application for leave to appeal, finding that the legal questions raised did not meet the necessary threshold under Section 96(a) of the Courts of Judicature Act 1964. Yahaya acknowledged the state government's efforts to curb social ills through the policy, but lamented the presence of those who continue to defend gambling despite the government's lawful efforts to eliminate it.

He reaffirmed Kedah PAS's commitment to the principle of amar makruf nahi mungkar (enjoining good and forbidding evil) in governance. The state government had announced its intention to cease issuing licenses for gambling premises as of January 1, 2023, following a council decision on December 8, 2021.