Keep number of special draws down, says Nik Abduh

 

Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz praised the Pakatan Harapan government for bringing the number of special draws down to only eight.

PETALING JAYA: Pakatan Harapan (PH) came in for praise from PAS today – the party’s central committee member Nik Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz said the coalition had done a good job in reducing the number of special draws for 4D forecast operators to just eight a year when it was in power.

He criticised the ruling government for increasing the number of special draws back to 22 for this year, calling it a “backward move”.

“PH deserves to be given praise and credit for making the right decision.

“The current government should have retained it. The decision to increase the number again is a backward move that is surely rejected by Islam and the majority of the people,” he said in a Facebook post.

Nik Abduh’s statement comes right after a PAS veteran questioned the role of PAS leaders in the Cabinet after the number of special draws were increased.

Mahfodz Mohamed had insisted that PAS ministers should not abandon the principle of upholding Islamic teachings just because they were now part of the government.

“Knowing what is ‘halal’ and ‘haram’, PAS ministers must voice (their opposition) as they are now part of the government.

“Just because we are a minority in the government, it does not mean we can’t speak out.”

Further, Nik Abduh urged the finance ministry to withdraw the decision to increase the number of special draws.

Last Monday, Pokok Sena MP Mahfuz Omar questioned PAS over its stance on the issue of 4D “special draws” being increased from eight times to 22 times a year.

Finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz, in a written answer to Mahfuz in the Dewan Rakyat, had confirmed the matter.

Perak PAS commissioner Razman Zakaria had also shrugged off the issue, saying he was confident the decision was not made by members of the party leadership who are in the Cabinet. - FMT