TAWAU, June 24 (Bernama) -- The Umno Youth movement is against the government's proposal to issue licence for football betting, its chief, Khairy Jamaluddin said on Thursday.


He said it would bring more bad than good for the people if the government were to issue the licence.

"After several weeks of getting views from the grassroots members and looking at the efforts by the police to curb gambling throughout the week, we, the Umno Youth, has made a stand to oppose if the government wants to issue licence for football betting.

"We hope what is heard in the news on a statement that the government has agreed (to issue the licence) is not true," he told reporters after opening the Tawau Umno Youth divisional delegates meeting here

Khairy said that gambling was not only prohibited in Islam, but also discouraged in any society, including among the non-Muslims.

I ask my colleagues in MCA and MIC. They say gambling is not condone in their society. It is true that there are non-Muslims who gamble, but it does not mean that their community approves it. They also regarded gambling not their culture," he added.

On claims that illegal betting would be more widespread if the government did not issue the licence, Khairy said he could not accept the excuse because the police had succeeded in crippling several illegal betting syndicates since the World Cup started.

-- BERNAMA