Betting licences: Listen to the people, says Abdullah

The government should listen to the views of the people regarding the decision to issue football betting licences to legalise football betting in view of the 2010 World Cup next month, former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today.

Abdullah, who is chairman the Malaysian Institute of Islamic Understanding (Ikim), said the people had the right to speak their minds and the government should listen to them.

“The party that approved the licence should consider the views carefully. In Islam, and probably in other religions, betting is unacceptable,” he said after opening the “Mai...Riuh!” programme here.

Prior to this, Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung was reported as saying that the ministry had issued the licence to a local company to start football betting operations for the 2010 World Cup.

However, many parties want the government to revoke the licence for fear that it would invite social problems among the people.