KUCHING, July 10, 2014: A whopping RM2.51 billion in "haram income" was collected by lottery operators from their special
draws from 2012 to May this year, according to Sarawak DAP chairman and Bandar
Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen today.
Out of the amount, about RM570 million was given to the
federal government as taxes.
Chong said the figures were made available to him by the
Federal Finance Ministry in replying to his query in the Dewan Rakyat.
He said these lottery operators are each allowed to hold 22 special draws in
a year, in addition to the normal draw days on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Chong, who is also the Sarawak opposition leader, said he
has some reservations on the rationale behind the rather excessive numbers of
special draws.
"Is the federal government so desperate that it has to raise money
to fill its thinning coffers or are there any other reasons?" he asked.
"The money that comes from the special draws is haram
because gambling is haram from a religious point of view, so why the need to
have so many special draw days in a year?" he asked.
"As there are so many special draw days in a year,
there are no more special about the draws, except to fatten the government
coffers as well as to burden the ordinary people," he explained.
He said many "ordinary people" have become addicted
to gambling, hence they must place huge bets on certain numbers, hoping to
strike it rich.
Chong blamed the government for the directly involved in
encouraging the ordinary people to become gambling addicts.
"It it is wrong to blame the people for placing bets on
certain numbers as it is the government which has issued gambling licences to
the operators," he said.
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