KUALA LUMPUR: The decision to increase the number of special 4D number draws to 22 times a year during the previous administration was a collective responsibility of all those in government, including those from PAS, says Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
The former finance minister, who is now the senior political adviser to the Prime Minister, said special draws are not new and were introduced back in 1999 and the ceiling limit of 22 draws a year already existed during the Barisan Nasional administration.
"During the pandemic (Covid-19), the government at that time returned to that existing ceiling (22 times) and this matter was also informed to Parliament through an official reply.
"Importantly, under today's Madani government, special draws have been reduced to just eight times a year," he told Bernama on Thursday (Sept 3).
Tengku Zafrul added that the facts are clear and he has no intention of prolonging an issue that could distract the government from its national development agenda.
The issue of special forecast number draws was raised following dispute over the justification for increasing the number of draws during the Covid-19 pandemic.
After taking over the administration in December 2022, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the number of special draws would be reduced from 22 times to eight times a year starting in 2023. – Bernama
