ALOR SETAR, August 27 2026 Kedah Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) has condemned Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor’s remarks, which it described as insulting towards Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim over the issue of gambling premises licences in the state.
State Leadership Council (MPN) Communications director Tunku Nashrul Abaidah said the state government had in fact lost the legal action concerning the issue and that the Prime Minister had no role in determining the court’s decision.
“I condemn the Kedah Menteri Besar’s insulting remarks and verbal attacks against the Prime Minister over the issue of gambling premises licences in the state.
“The administrative action taken by his administration was overturned after the court found that it exceeded the state’s jurisdiction, while the application for leave to appeal was also rejected by the Federal Court,” he said in a statement today.
He said Malaysia practised the separation of powers among the three main branches of government—the legislature, executive and judiciary.
“This case stemmed from a decision by Sanusi’s administration, which was challenged by the operator and independently decided by the judiciary.
“Sanusi should not shirk responsibility. His double standards and pretence of being righteous on this issue clearly reflect political hypocrisy,” he said.
Tunku Nashrul said that when PAS was part of the Perikatan Nasional government, the administration in which the party participated had increased special draws for gambling from eight to 22 times a year.
“Conversely, Datuk Seri Anwar, the Prime Minister and Finance Minister whom Sanusi has insulted, was the one who reduced them back to eight times a year,” he said.
Tunku Nashrul also described Sanusi’s act of verbally attacking the Prime Minister and dragging unrelated parties into the issue merely to cover up his own administration’s shortcomings as insulting.
“Sanusi, stop shifting the goalposts. Explain your administration’s defeat based on facts and stop making the Prime Minister a target,” he said.
Sanusi was alleged to have used offensive language during a programme, “Penjelasan Isu Halangan Pengharaman Judi Di Kedah”, at Dewan Seri Mentaloon here last Tuesday night, which was organised to explain issues concerning obstacles to the ban on gambling in the state.
-BERNAMA
