Guan Eng: Reveal use of betting revenue

By The Sun

SEBERANG PERAI (Oct 5, 2010): Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has criticised the Federal Government for not revealing where it has channelled the betting revenue it received.

Lim said the Barisan Nasional-led government has not answered if the gambling revenue, which is about RM2.3 billion, has been put into a consolidated account, which is then used for development projects and to pay government administration staff.

“Umno and BN have not answered this question, even when it was brought up in Parliament,” he said at a press conference today.

Lim said there was no reason for Umno to hit out at the Pakatan Rakyat-led Penang government for allegedly using gambling revenues to fund its RM100 senior citizens appreciation programme.

“We do not use resources from gambling (for the appreciation programme),” Lim said, maintaining that the allegation made by state Umno leaders were false.

“The fund is an effort for combating corruption within the state and savings made by the state government,” he said.

Lim pointed out that state finance officer Datuk Farizan Darus had verified that the fund for the appreciation programme is legitimate.

“The contributions from the private sector and clubs (Penang Turf Club) are banked into a separate account, which is used in the Partners Against Poverty (PAP) programme,” he said, adding that it would be given to non-Muslims only.

Lim lamented that several groups of senior citizens had been deceived into thinking that the annual RM100 aid was from betting revenue, which led to several returning the aid.

“Do not ban what is legal, and legalise what is banned,” he said.