ALOR SETAR, Aug 12 — Kedah PAS today vowed to continue its efforts to eliminate gambling in the state despite the Federal Court dismissing the state government’s bid to appeal a ruling against its ban on issuing and renewing gambling premises licences.

Kedah PAS commissioner Datuk Ahmad Yahaya said the party accepted the court’s decision but expressed disappointment over the outcome.

“Kedah Pas takes note of the Federal Court’s decision to reject the Kedah government’s application for leave to appeal over the cessation of gambling premises licences.

“We are saddened by the decision, although we respect the court’s ruling,” he said in a statement today.

The Federal Court today dismissed the Kedah government’s application for leave to appeal a ruling declaring its directive not to issue or renew business licences for gambling activities unconstitutional.

A three-member bench led by Datuk Rhodzariah Bujang, with Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah and Datuk Azmi Ariffin, unanimously dismissed the application after finding that the questions of law raised did not meet the threshold under Section 96(a) of the Courts of Judicature Act 1964.

Ahmad, who is also Pokok Sena MP, said Kedah PAS considered the state government’s efforts to prevent social ills through the policy justified, but regretted that certain parties had challenged the move.

“How can there still be parties determined to defend the crime of gambling in the state, despite the state government’s efforts to shut down all premises being carried out within the existing legal framework?

“Kedah Pas reiterates that the principle of amar makruf nahi mungkar (enjoining good and forbidding evil) will continue to be upheld in governance,” he said.

The Kedah government previously announced that it would stop issuing licences for gambling premises from Jan 1, 2023, following a decision by the state executive council on Dec 8, 2021.