DAP Legal Bureau head Ramkarpal Singh Deo has told Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammed Sanusi Md Nor to stop playing games by sarcastically inviting him to Kedah to give a ceramah to Muslims on the social ills of gambling.
"Sanusi has access to the entire machinery of the state government at his disposal to educate the public about the dangers of gambling and to tighten enforcement measures.
“If Sanusi believes there is a serious problem of gambling in Kedah, he should tell the public what his government has done about it instead of asking a DAP MP to do his job for him," said Ramkarpal in a statement.
The courts had earlier ruled that the move by Kedah to ban the gaming outlets was unconstitutional, upholding the decision of the lower courts previously.
"It is doubtful if Sanusi has sought legal advice in this case, given his repeated statements about finding ways to get around the High Court ruling that the state has no power to impose a blanket ban on licensed gambling, a decision which was upheld by the Court of Appeal."
Sanusi knows that the Federal Court’s refusal to grant leave to appeal means the Court of Appeal decision upholding the High Court ruling remains in force, said Ramkarpal, the Bukit Gelugor Member of Parliament.
"Like it or not, Sanusi has to accept that decision."
In a briefing to the state civil service and civil societies in Alor Setar, Sanusi had shifted blame to the Finance Ministry for not helping Kedah to uphold the ban on the gaming outlets due to the high taxes they pay.
"Having acknowledged that the matter comes under federal purview, he cannot now find ways to circumvent that."
The reality is that the decision of the courts on the matter is to the effect that Kedah’s policy of refusing to renew gambling-related business licences is unconstitutional for encroaching on federal powers, said Ramkarpal.
"Sanusi should respect the courts as it is not his business to question the wisdom of its judgments, particularly when those judgments are final, as going against such final judgments may amount to contempt of court," he said. - August 27, 2026.
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