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Johor MP wants end to free casino trips
He joins others objecting to S'pore casino tours
By Carolyn Hong, Malaysia Bureau Chief
People boarding a Malaysian bus at the Resorts World Sentosa basement carpark. Johor lawmaker Tang Nai Soon wants Singapore to impose an entrance fee on Malaysians and allow them to list their family members on the gamblers' register to ban their entry into the casinos. -- ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG
KUALA LUMPUR: A Johor lawmaker has urged the Malaysian government to ask Singapore to stop its casinos from offering free trips to Malaysians, and to discourage them from gambling across the Causeway.
He wants Singapore to impose an entrance fee on Malaysians and to allow them to list their family members on the gamblers' register to ban their entry into the casinos - just like it does for Singaporeans.
Malaysian visits should be limited to, say, 50 times a year, said Pekan Nenas state assemblyman Tang Nai Soon.
The state MP made his call in the state assembly on Wednesday, in the wake of increasing complaints that housewives and the elderly were being lured to Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands casinos by free tours.
'Gambling can cause grave social ills,' he said.
Mr Tang's was the latest voice to join the chorus of discontent that started some months ago, when the Chinese media started to run reports about the swarm of Johoreans crossing into Singapore daily to gamble.
The voices have become louder in recent weeks, with more leaders from the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) speaking up on the issue.
So far, the protests and unhappiness over the issue have been confined to Johor.
But the issue might soon begin to get wider notice in Malaysia, as the English and Malay media have also begun to run reports on the trend. Previously, it received coverage only in the Chinese press.
A party insider said Johor MCA became more vocal after it was blamed for not doing more to discourage these free tours.
Complaints about gambling and loan sharks have always been there, he said, adding: 'But this one stands out because it involves going to Singapore for a 'free' holiday.'
Mr Tang said these tours include free transport, a food voucher, and a discount so gamblers can buy S$140 worth of chips for S$100.
The MCA's national organising secretary Tee Siew Kong told the media several days ago that transport operators are paid an incentive of RM900 (S$376) for every busload of passengers.
A Johor travel agent who did not want to be named said the tours are run by local agencies, which earn a commission from the casinos.
He said it was normal practice for casinos to offer incentives including food vouchers and gambling chips. 'Maybe it's an issue because the money is going out of the country,' he said of the latest concerns in Malaysia.
Mr Tee estimates that at least 3,200 Malaysians gamble in the casinos every day, based on 30 bus trips of 40 passengers each and 500 cars of four people each. If each spent S$1,000, that would amount to RM230 million a month, he said.
Mr Tang said there are complaints that some housewives spend at least 10 hours there each time they visit the casinos.
'Even more worrying is that some of them have gone to the extent of borrowing money from loan sharks to satisfy their new-found addiction to gambling,' he said. He claimed that loan sharks prowl casino floors, offering small loans of S$500 at an interest rate of RM20 to RM50 a day.
MCA youth chief Wee Ka Siong, who is an MP from Johor, recently raised similar concerns, noting that Singaporeans could get the casinos to bar their family members.
'But the law does not apply to foreigners, including Malaysians,' he said.
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He joins others objecting to S'pore casino tours
By Carolyn Hong, Malaysia Bureau Chief
People boarding a Malaysian bus at the Resorts World Sentosa basement carpark. Johor lawmaker Tang Nai Soon wants Singapore to impose an entrance fee on Malaysians and allow them to list their family members on the gamblers' register to ban their entry into the casinos. -- ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG
KUALA LUMPUR: A Johor lawmaker has urged the Malaysian government to ask Singapore to stop its casinos from offering free trips to Malaysians, and to discourage them from gambling across the Causeway.
He wants Singapore to impose an entrance fee on Malaysians and to allow them to list their family members on the gamblers' register to ban their entry into the casinos - just like it does for Singaporeans.
Malaysian visits should be limited to, say, 50 times a year, said Pekan Nenas state assemblyman Tang Nai Soon.
The state MP made his call in the state assembly on Wednesday, in the wake of increasing complaints that housewives and the elderly were being lured to Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands casinos by free tours.
'Gambling can cause grave social ills,' he said.
Mr Tang's was the latest voice to join the chorus of discontent that started some months ago, when the Chinese media started to run reports about the swarm of Johoreans crossing into Singapore daily to gamble.
The voices have become louder in recent weeks, with more leaders from the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) speaking up on the issue.
So far, the protests and unhappiness over the issue have been confined to Johor.
But the issue might soon begin to get wider notice in Malaysia, as the English and Malay media have also begun to run reports on the trend. Previously, it received coverage only in the Chinese press.
A party insider said Johor MCA became more vocal after it was blamed for not doing more to discourage these free tours.
Complaints about gambling and loan sharks have always been there, he said, adding: 'But this one stands out because it involves going to Singapore for a 'free' holiday.'
Mr Tang said these tours include free transport, a food voucher, and a discount so gamblers can buy S$140 worth of chips for S$100.
The MCA's national organising secretary Tee Siew Kong told the media several days ago that transport operators are paid an incentive of RM900 (S$376) for every busload of passengers.
A Johor travel agent who did not want to be named said the tours are run by local agencies, which earn a commission from the casinos.
He said it was normal practice for casinos to offer incentives including food vouchers and gambling chips. 'Maybe it's an issue because the money is going out of the country,' he said of the latest concerns in Malaysia.
Mr Tee estimates that at least 3,200 Malaysians gamble in the casinos every day, based on 30 bus trips of 40 passengers each and 500 cars of four people each. If each spent S$1,000, that would amount to RM230 million a month, he said.
Mr Tang said there are complaints that some housewives spend at least 10 hours there each time they visit the casinos.
'Even more worrying is that some of them have gone to the extent of borrowing money from loan sharks to satisfy their new-found addiction to gambling,' he said. He claimed that loan sharks prowl casino floors, offering small loans of S$500 at an interest rate of RM20 to RM50 a day.
MCA youth chief Wee Ka Siong, who is an MP from Johor, recently raised similar concerns, noting that Singaporeans could get the casinos to bar their family members.
'But the law does not apply to foreigners, including Malaysians,' he said.
[email protected]
