Parti Islam Se-Malaysia Seeks to Close Down Casinos in the Country
Date: 2024-09-16 Author: Alex Crawford Categories: CASINO
The Rise of Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) and Its Plans
In 2022, PAS, or Parti Islam Se-Malaysia, became the country’s largest party. In the Malaysian general election, the party received significant support, winning 43 of the 222 seats in parliament.
At that time, PAS already controlled four of the country’s 13 states. Since then, its influence has only grown, attracting more and more supporters. Recently, it was revealed that PAS plans to close the only casino in the country, owned by Genting Bhd, a subsidiary of the well-known Genting Group. The casino is located in the state of Pahang.
Gambling is harmful and must be stopped
According to Bloomberg, the Islamic Party intends to close the Genting casino in Pahang if it wins the state elections to be held in 2028. PAS explains its position on religious grounds, as gambling is prohibited in the Quran.
Andansura Rabu, deputy commissioner of PAS in Pahang, said: “Gambling is harmful and we must close the casino.” These words were spoken at the party’s annual meeting. Rabu stressed that the ban must be implemented in accordance with the laws and the constitution. He also noted that this is not only a religious issue, but also a social issue that affects society.
Economic impact of casino closure
The closure of casinos in Malaysia could have serious economic consequences. Firstly, it will lead to job losses. Secondly, the country will lose more than a billion dollars in annual revenue that the Genting casino brought in.
While casino revenues have been declining in recent years due to the pandemic, the closure of the only gambling establishment could create a major deficit in the country's budget and cause additional problems for Malaysian lawmakers.
