Anwar Once Demanded Gambling Licence In Sabah, Says Najib

Anwar Once Demanded Gambling Licence In Sabah, Says Najib
Bernama - Thursday, August 21

BUKIT MERTAJAM, Aug 20 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, when he was Deputy Prime Minister once slammed the table and threw files to demand the Sabah government approve a licence for a four-digit lottery to a company he had an interest in, said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

The Deputy Prime Minister said the incident happened when Datuk Yong Teck Lee was Chief Minister of Sabah.

"He (Anwar) wanted the licence because his elder brother was the chairman of the company concerned," Najib said when campaigning for the Barisan Nasional in the run up to the Permatang Pauh by-election in Simpang Empat, Seberang Jaya here Wednesday night.

Yong Teck Lee was appointed Chief Minister of Sabah from 1996 to May 1998 while Anwar was deputy prime minister from 1993 until he was sacked from Umno in September 1998.

Najib said he was proud of the action of the Sabah government in upholding its principles to deny the unprincipled Anwar the licence.

"Now he is talking about forming a society of high moral values but before, demanded for a gambling licence to be approved," he said.

Earlier, at another function in Seberang Perai Tengah, Najib announced special allocations amounting to RM100,000 for each mosque and RM30,000 for each surau in the parliamentary constituency.

He also urged Muslims to remind united so that the community continued to remain strong.

The by-election on Aug 26 will see a three cornered fight between Anwar, who is now advisor of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), the BN's Arif Shah Omar Shad and Hanafi Mamat of Angkatan Keadilan Islam Malaysia (Akim).

-- BERNAMA