KUALA LUMPUR: The Kedah Mentri Besar has been told to accept his shortcomings and not drag Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim into the issue of gambling premises licences in the state.
Kedah PKR communications director Tunku Nashrul Abaidah hit out at Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor for hurling insults at Anwar stating that he (Sanusi) should stop blaming the Prime Minister for his own failure.
"I condemn his (Sanusi's) statements.
"The fact is that Sanusi, as the Mentri Besar who led the decision, lost the legal action concerning the matter.
"His administration's decision was overturned after the court found that it had exceeded the state's jurisdiction.
"An application for leave to appeal was rejected by the Federal Court as well," he said in a statement on Thursday (Aug 27).
Tunku Nashrul said Malaysia practises the separation of powers among three main branches - the legislative, the executive and the judiciary.
"This case arose from a decision by his (Sanusi) administration, which was challenged by the operator and subsequently decided independently by the judiciary.
"The Prime Minister was not involved in determining the court's decision. Sanusi should not throw stones and hide his hand.
He said the reality was that when PAS was in the Perikatan Nasional government, the administration involving the party increased the number of special gambling draws from eight to 22 times a year.
"In contrast, it was Anwar, the Prime Minister and Finance Minister whom Sanusi insulted, who brought the number back down to eight times a year," he said.
Tunku Nashrul then criticised Sanusi for allegedly misleading the public and dragging unrelated parties into the issue to cover up the shortcomings of his own administration.
"Sanusi should not move the goalposts. Answer for your administration's defeat based on the facts and stop making the Prime Minister a target," he said.
It was reported that Sanusi said Anwar would face the wrath of Kedahans if he allowed gambling activities to resume in the state.
"Kedahans will curse you if you approve it. In Kedah dialect, we call it 'pelaq'," he was quoted as saying.
On Aug 12, the Federal Court dismissed the Kedah government's application for leave to appeal against a Court of Appeal ruling declaring its ban on business licences for gaming operators unconstitutional.
In December last year (2025), the appellate court, by a 2-1 majority, upheld the Alor Star High Court ruling, declaring the Kedah government's decision to cease the issuance and renewal of business licences for gaming operators unconstitutional and in violation of the Federal Constitution.
From Jan 1, 2023, legal gaming and lottery outlets in Kedah effectively ceased operations following the implementation of the state government's ban.
