Kedah PKR has pushed back against Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, saying his state government nearly tripled the number of special lottery draws during its time in office. The remarks, reported by Free Malaysia Today, came as Sanusi continued to press his position against gambling in the state.
The exchange follows Sanusi’s recent comments in which he said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim would be “cursed” if gambling were to resume in Kedah, according to Malaysiakini. Sanusi has also invited Ramkarpal Singh, a former minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, to “give a talk” on the issue in Kedah, The Vibes reported.
Kedah PKR’s response, covered by The Star, urged Sanusi to accept his own government’s shortcomings rather than dragging the prime minister into the licensing dispute. The party pointed to the increase in special lottery draws under the Perikatan Nasional administration as evidence that Sanusi’s moral stance is inconsistent with his government’s actions.
The dispute highlights a broader tension in Malaysian politics over gambling policy. Sanusi has positioned himself as a vocal opponent of gambling in Kedah, while critics argue that the state has not matched its rhetoric with policy. A commentary in the Sarawak Tribune argued that a gambling ban would not make Malaysia more moral, suggesting the issue is more complex than a simple prohibition.
What to watch next: whether Sanusi responds directly to the lottery draw figures and whether the exchange escalates into a wider debate on gambling regulation in Kedah.
