Ahli Parlimen DAP tuntut pendirian MCA, MIC isu haram judi PAS

DAP MP Chong Zhemin questioned MCA and MIC's support for PAS's agenda to criminalize gambling nationwide if Barisan Nasional (BN) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) form a coalition in the upcoming general election. Chong noted that PAS's only realistic path to power is through a coalition with BN and Umno, as the party lacks the capability to govern independently.

Therefore, MCA President Wee Ka Siong and MIC President SA Vigneswaran must explicitly state whether they endorse PAS's goal of using federal power to end gambling nationwide. They should also address whether MCA and MIC would support a BN-PN government that grants PAS the necessary seats and political power to implement this goal, he said in a statement.

Chong criticized the Central Islamic Council of PAS President Mohd Nor Hamzah's claim that Muslim voters must support PAS to take over Putrajaya to ensure gambling promotions are abolished at the federal level. The Federal Court recently rejected the Kedah state government's appeal to overturn the decision to ban the issuance and renewal of gambling licenses in the state.

The highest court's ruling confirms that the authority and legislation concerning the approval of gambling licenses fall under federal jurisdiction, not state governments. Chong emphasized that both parties cannot continue sending mixed messages, asking for support from Chinese and Indian communities while pretending that voters for the coalition have no connection to PAS's agenda.

He added that if BN and PN act as political allies, every seat won by MCA, MIC, or Umno indirectly contributes to PAS's parliamentary seat count to help them reach Putrajaya. Chong stressed that the issue is not just about the promotion of gambling activities but also about the federal government's responsibility to protect the constitutional position and religious freedoms of non-Muslim citizens in the country.

The public has the right to know the answer before the general election, not after the government is formed, he concluded.