A Simple Solution

For sure, many foreigners might be shaking their heads in disbelief when they read about how ministers are squabbling about whether certain monies are "haram".


Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani reported HERE that Lim Kit Siang challenged Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today to return his salaries and allowances earned as a federal minister since the deputy prime minister had declared that Muslims did not want to be associated with gambling money.

Earlier, Umno’s Youth’s alleged that the DAP Penang state government had funded its poverty eradication programmes from a “forbidden source”. Umno Youth had urged the Penang government to clarify a blogger's accusation that it had been using funds from gambling sources to make compassionate payments to senior citizens. Then, its information chief Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican asked Lim to explain the claim made in the blog Pisau.net, which alleged that the annual payments of RM100 to senior citizens and RM1,000 to their beneficiaries were being funded through gaming revenue. Reezal also claimed the rumours had caused discomfort among some of the recipients of the money, especially those who were Muslims.

Subsequently, there has been quite a heated discussion and exchange of statements in various news portals including MP Tony Pua's statement in Funds from non-halal source: Get the facts right first where he stated :

1. The state government has clearly denied that such funds were used for distribution to Muslims, which means that these Umno politicians are lying through their teeth to gain political mileage.

2. Their attempt to distinguish halal and non-halal revenue for Penang smacks of ultimate hypocrisy as the Federal Government headed by Umno, the Finance Minister who is also Umno president, Najib Tun Razak are the parties responsible for legalised gambling in this country.

3. Had it not been for the opposition by Pakatan Rakyat, Najib would not have withdrawn the sports betting license awarded to tycoon Vincent Tan. (Click HERE for more)

Today, MP Lim Kit Siang said HERE that:

“In line with Muhyiddin’s declaration that Muslims do not want to be associated with money from ‘a forbidden source’, the deputy prime minister should set an example and declare that he will not only return his salary and allowances to Treasury, but will return all his salaries and allowances as Federal Minister for the past 15 years since 1995.

Lim stressed that Muhyiddin must be consistent and return his earnings because part of the government’s budget used for salaries and allowances are sourced from gambling revenue.

“As Muhyiddin said that Muslims do not want to be associated with money from ‘a forbidden source’, and part of the expenditure for national management and development including paying the salaries and allowances of Cabinet Ministers is sourced from gambling revenue, the Deputy Prime Minister must be consistent and return all his salaries and allowances as Cabinet Minister going back to 15 years to the Treasury,” he said.

We are all Malaysians but not all share the same faith. We belong to one country but not one faith. It was never a problem until now. Why? Who are those creating a storm in a teacup and relishing in making a mountain out of a molehill?

If the government feels strongly that gambling is WRONG, then it should ban all forms of gambling completely and that would include casinos, sports betting, and four digit lotteries etc. But are they willing to do that?

Interestingly, it was announced HERE that "the option to build a casino is on the table for the Karambunai IR (in Sabah)— alongside a mangrove centre, water theme park and waterfront properties — to ensure a higher return on investment (ROI). The Malaysian Insider also understands that if a casino is built as part of the Karambunai IR, international players such as The Sands might be roped in to run it rather than local operator Genting.

On May 12, Berjaya Corp reported that the government had re-issued the licence to Tan-owned Ascot Sports Sdn Bhd after the original licence was cancelled by the previous Abdullah administration. Vincent Tan’s attempt to legalise punting on the beautiful game was spun by the Najib administration as the best way to increase government revenue while reining in illegal bookmaking activities, estimated to be worth up to RM20 billion a year (extracted from HERE).

So what do we see?

We see one group of politicians who regard tax revenue from gaming activities as haram/forbidden while another regards it as an important source of government revenue. Both groups are from the same ruling party. So who is right? Why do they have different opinions and how is the leader of them all going to resolve this? What has he done to defuse the situation?

All the bickering should stop ASAP. Let us dwell in harmony and unity and seek an amicable solution for the bone of contention.

The Finance Ministry has responded in Parliament to MP for Rasah, Anthony Loke on June 9, 2010, that the government does not in any way differentiate the tax it receives from different revenue sources, be they from halal or non-halal activities (CLICK HERE for more).

Lim pointed out that in June, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had told Parliament that all government taxation and revenue was credited into a consolidated fund.

“At this time, revenue from gambling activities are categorised as government revenue. Based on Article 97 of the Federal Constitution and Financial Procedure Act 1957 (revised in 1972) all taxation or revenue received by the federal government will be credited into the Consolidated Fund.

“The Consolidated Fund comprises three main accounts, the Consolidated Account, the Consolidated Trust Account and the Consolidated Loans Account.

“All revenue from payment of taxes are put into the Consolidated Account like all other government revenue and is used for purposes of management spending and national development,” said Najib.

Is it not fair and practical that it is used for NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT as stated by the PM who spelled it out clearly? Yet, some of his subordinates think otherwise. Hmm...

A simple solution could be the best alternative and I am suggesting that the government looks at this and makes a decision to nip the problem in the bud before the debate goes out of hand.

How I wish that if indeed there are those who regard tax revenue from gambling activities as haram, then let that tax revenue be STRICTLY used for non-Muslims alone e.g. in funding whatever development funds such as scholarships, funds for schools, funds for other religious bodies. Then there need not be any disagreement or dispute or debate or quarrel. And then perhaps the rest of us can breath again in peace until the next conflict arises!!!

*Please note: This is my dream and hypothetical solution for the unity and harmony of the rakyat so that there will be no dispute over such issues. I am NOT making this suggestion to create any disunity or unrest.

Tony Pua has also given an alternative solution HERE where he said:

Penang state opposition leader Azahar Ibrahim obviously could tell the difference when he claimed that "Umno assemblymen need not return their allowances as the state government’s income was from tax revenue."

He's obviously ignorant of the fact, intentionally or otherwise, that taxes are paid to the federal government which are then redistributed back to the respective states as grants and loans.

The irresponsible actions of these Umno leaders who have raised these religious issues to create fear in the hearts of Muslims purely for political expediency has only resulted in another own goal for themselves making them look completely stupid and foolish.

It is Umno who approves all gambling licenses in the country, and it is the Umno federal government who uses tax revenue, regardless of source, to pay for all government expenses, including allowances of elected representatives and salaries of ministers and civil servants.

These Umno leaders should not only return their allowances back to the government, they should also demand that for future infrastructure projects such as highways built by the federal government, there should be lanes designated for Muslims and non-Muslims based on the proportionate breakdown of source of revenue used to build the roads.

All right thinking Malaysians should of course reject these ridiculous thoughts by Umno leaders to ensure that Malaysia don't become even more divided than it already is today.

I appeal to all parties to reach a reasonable solution and to refrain from deepening chasms of differences between the rakyat. I implore them to put the rakyat above all else and to bridge differences that we may dwell in harmony, unity and then perhaps FDIs might start flowing in again when foreigners see what a beautiful country Malaysia can be....

Is it such a tall order?

courtesy of masterwordsmith