MELAKA – The state’s PAS chapter has expressed concerns that the recent decision by the Kedah government to ban all gambling premises and alcohol sales in the state could hurt the party’s chance of winning in the coming Melaka polls.
Speaking to The Vibes today, Melaka PAS chief Datuk Kamaruddin Sidek said the announcement by PAS’ Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor yesterday would compromise the Islamist party’s potential win in eight seats it is contesting.
“I’m not in a position to comment about this issue because the ban is being implemented in Kedah.
“I haven’t had the chance to speak to my friend (Sanusi) about this. Therefore, I do not want to be too critical on the matter. But it would, in a way, affect PAS’ victory in the state election.
“The non-Muslims would look at this issue as though (the government) is denying their rights. That would be the view of non-Muslims.
“Voters need to understand the issue and I hope they do not jump to conclusions by not voting for us,” said Kamaruddin, who is contesting in the Duyong seat.
For the record, PAS is now in Perikatan Nasional (PN) along with allies Bersatu and Gerakan.
Should the impact of Kedah’s immediate ban on alcohol and gambling spill over to the historical state, it could spell trouble for PN.
Yesterday, Sanusi announced that the state will neither issue new licences, nor renew existing ones for gambling effective immediately.
The Kedah PAS deputy commissioner said that apart from gambling licences, the state government will also restrict the sale of alcohol in public, including on the holiday island of Langkawi.
Liquor will only be allowed to be sold to non-Muslim consumers.
When asked if PN would implement similar bans in Melaka should they win the snap polls, Kamaruddin was hesitant to comment on the matter, saying: “This is a sensitive issue and it is too early to make a decision.”
“Besides, this matter – whether we will ban or allow – is not part of our manifesto.
“We have to be calm. We will only announce our stand on this after the election results are out,” he said.
Meanwhile, the party’s Durian Tunggal candidate Ja’afar Othman is of the view that the northern state government’s verdict will not influence PAS’ success in Melaka.
“We have a different demographic in Kedah because the number of Malay and Muslim voters is high.
“For instance, in Durian Tunggal, only 30% of the voters are non-Muslims. My point of view is that Kedah and Melaka are very different,” Ja’afar said.
However, he did not dismiss the idea that the same ban could be implemented in Melaka should PN come to power.
“It would depend on the situation. If there is an increase in criminal cases due to gambling or alcohol, we could propose a better method to tackle it.
“We are a multiracial nation and we have to celebrate each other’s rights. Let’s resolve the flood woes before we talk about alcohol,” he added.
In a statement today, PAS’ Syura Council welcomed the Kedah government’s decision as an excellent effort to avoid any social and property harm.
“In fact, the Syura Council calls on the people and the government to stop using gambling as a source of income and economy to curb and fight the ‘dark economy’ (ekonomi gelap).
“We also welcome the special meeting of state government excos to limit the sale of alcohol to non-Muslims only, especially in local authority areas where there is no demand for liquor.
“Based on facts, it shows that alcohol is one of the causes of fatal accidents due to drunk drivers, as well as the loss of lives and injuries, not only to the victims but also to their families,” the council added. – The Vibes, November 15, 2021
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