PAS's under fire Kuala Nerus MP Khairuddin Aman Razali has called for a ban on gambling and restrictions on alcohol consumption.
The plantation industries and commodities minister who is still being investigated for breaching his quarantine order in July, made the call in an interview discussing PAS' Islamic agenda after seven months of being in the federal government.
TV Pertiwi posted the interview on its Facebook page last night.
Khairuddin said that the government led by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin should look at banning gambling because it is forbidden by all religions and harmful to human beings.
"There are no intelligent people, who love morals, who love peace, who like (gambling).
"Because gambling is known to cause conflict, ultimately, gambling must be banned. That is the reality that the world has to accept," he told interviewer Firdaus Salleh Hudin.
Khairuddin claimed that this is different from the move to control alcohol consumption because the activity is allowed by some religions.
"Some religions allow alcohol, and we will give rights to them, but gambling is not allowed by any religion.
"It is a scam and manipulation of human weakness in managing money," he said.
Khairuddin went on to say that alcohol sales must be reviewed to prevent Muslims from buying alcohol and allowing drivers to operate under the influence of alcohol.
He said Malaysia could emulate Singapore, which still enforced strict control over alcohol consumption even though it is led by non-Muslim leaders.
"For example, we see Singapore led by non-Muslims, but they prevent alcohol from being sold widely because they see alcohol as harmful," he claimed.
For the record, drinking in public is legal in Singapore, however, consumption of alcohol in a public space or non-licensed premises has been restricted during 10.30pm to 7am following the Little India riots in 2013.
He explained that PAS will still allow liquor to be sold but in a controlled manner only.
"If alcohol is harmful, it should be banned for sale at the public level. As for the right to follow their respective religions, if drinking alcohol is their right, we will allow it because that is the right given by Allah to other religions," he said.
In August, his party colleague Pasir Puteh MP Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh said the Christian Bible was distorted (dipesong) during a debate in the Dewan Rakyat over increasing the punishment for drink driving in the Road Transport Act amendments bill.
In his speech, Zawawi claimed that all religions forbade the consumption of alcohol. When Beruas MP Ngeh Koo Ham, a Christian, corrected him and said it was intoxication that was wrong, the Pasir Puteh MP doubled down and said in Christianity, before the Bible was "distorted", alcohol was not allowed.
Khairuddin himself has come under fire for violating quarantine orders after returning from a semi-official work trip to Turkey in July.
In August, the Health Ministry slapped an RM1,000 fine on Khairuddin, who donated four months of his salary as a sign of contrition.
On Thursday, Bukit Aman CID deputy director Mior Faridalathrash Wahid said that the police had resubmitted the investigation papers on the matter to the Attorney-General's Chambers.
The lengthy investigation has prompted accusations of double standards in law enforcement. - Mkini
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