Lim Guan Eng said reporters should ask the previous government as to why it had approved a sports gambling licence to tycoon Vincent Tan. The finance minister said this when asked about the Pakatan Harapan government’s decision not to re-issue the licence for Tan’s Ascot Sports Sdn Bhd. Lim revealed that the Barisan Nasional administration had issued the sports gaming licence to Ascot Sports on Jan 13, 2010, before revoking it in October following criticism by various quarters. “It was approved, but it wasn’t followed through. So the issue of not renewing the license does not arise. “(You) should be asking the previous government why they approved the licence,” he added when met at the Parliament lobby.
Lim had yesterday, in a written reply to Ismail Mohamed Said (BN-Kuala Krau), said the government had decided not to re-issue the licence. In 2010, then prime minister and finance minister Najib Razak had defended issuing the licence as a means to curb illegal gambling activities in the country. But it was later overturned following a unanimous vote against it by the Umno Supreme Council. It had been reported in 2010 that Ascot Sports would be allowed to operate in only 200 of the 680 Sports Toto outlets. The Sports Toto games are offered by another of Tan’s companies – Berjaya Sports Toto Bhd.
