Although local Chinese dailies quoted PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang as saying Pakatan would ban gambling nationwide if they took over Putrajaya, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng stressed that a blanket ban on gambling is not the coalition’s common policy.

He appeared unconvinced over the media report when approached by journalists in the Parliament lobby today.

“He really said that? I don’t think he would say so because it is not our common policy,” said Lim.

The Penang Chief Minister also said that Penang is against sports betting and increasing the number of new gambling premises, but it will not impose a blanket ban on gambling.

Even if PAS wants to have a nationwide ban on gambling, it had to be agreed to by all Pakatan component parties before implementation, added Lim.

According to reports by Chinese dailies Nanyang Siang Pau and China Press, Hadi allegedly announced during a rally in Jerteh last Saturday that PAS would implement Islamic policies should the party come to power, including a nationwide ban on gambling.

He was quoted as saying that the other Pakatan parties had reached a consensus with PAS over the matter.