Why PAS Says It Doesn't Need a Manifesto Promise to Ban Gambling

Ask Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor whether PAS will formally promise to crack down on gambling in its next election manifesto, and his answer is essentially: why would we need to? According to him, the party's opposition to gambling is already baked into Clause 5 of the PAS constitution, which commits the party to upholding Islamic values including bans on gambling premises and restrictions on alcohol sales. Putting it in a manifesto, he argues, would just be stating the obvious.

It's a stance that says a lot about how PAS positions itself heading toward the next general election. The party currently governs Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Perlis, and its religious commitments aren't really up for negotiation the way ordinary policy pledges might be. That certainty is also exactly what can make things tricky for its more multiracial coalition partners within Perikatan Nasional, who have to court non-Muslim and moderate voters that may not be fully on board with sweeping gaming restrictions.

Malaysia's existing gambling laws, including the Common Gaming Houses Act and the Betting Act, both date back to 1953, so this entire debate is really about enforcement philosophy and political messaging rather than brand-new legislation.