By Syauqi Jamil
KUALA LUMPUR: Putrajaya today announced a proposal to reduce the frequency of special Tuesday draws for all number forecast operators in 2019 onwards.
Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng told the Dewan Rakyat that the new policy would be announced in the tabling of Malaysian Budget 2019, scheduled to be held in November.
This is done to curb gambling habits as well as to help reduce the financial burden among Malaysians, in particularly punters from the bottom 40% group.
“The cut down of special draws is an early measure by the government to reduce betting days, where the effects of gambling such as addiction can be reduced.”
“This is the reason why the government do not intend on approving more betting licenses which will increase more gambling activities,” he said in the Dewan earlier.
Lim who is also the Bagan MP was responding to Pakatan Harapan Kluang lawmaker Wong Shu Qi who asked if the government had plan to allow number forecast operators to hold special Tuesday draws in 2019.
The number forecast operators mentioned includes Sports Toto, Magnum, Damacai, Malaysia Pool, Sarawak Turf Club, Sandakan Turf Club and The Rewind Corporation.
Special draws are additional draws that was previously approved by the previous government in 1999 as one of the measures to obtain tax revenue sources which went into trust funds.
Lim said that it had collected RM80.4 million on its very first year which has grown significantly, collecting RM238 million last year. The funds were used to finance sporting events, projects, social welfare, culture, health, education , development and training.
