LDP, MIC back sports betting

KOTA KINABALU: The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and MIC have expressed support for the proposal to introduce legalised sports betting in the country.LDP president Datuk Liew Vui Keong yesterday said football betting should be legalised because it can help minimise illegal gambling.

He said that illegal gambling, especially football betting, could not be eliminated even though actions had been taken to combat the activities.

Liew, who is also Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, said illegal gambling could be minimised by providing a legalised means for people to place bets.

“It can help minimise football betting which takes place all the time not only during the World Cup,” he told reporters after visiting the central market in Sandakan.

He said the government would also be able to collect taxes, adding “I’m confident the government will make the right decision.”

MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said the party is not against the proposal to have legalised sports betting in the country as it only involves non-Muslims.

“I think it should be allowed to curb illegal betting. It is not something new as other forms of legalised betting are already in place for non-Muslims,” he said in a statement yesterday.

He said it was better to regulate sports betting so that the rules would be drawn and should be adhered to strictly.

He also said that the money from taxes collected from the company entrusted with running sports betting could be used for certain permissible non-Muslim charitable purposes. – Bernama