Dr M: Make Sports Betting Legal. How about Prostitution?

It was reported in 15 June 2010 theStar newspaper that Former Prime Minister of Malaysia Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has supported the legalization of Sports Betting, saying that this will help legalize the industry as well as thwart illegal gambling. He added that Sport betting is for the non-Muslim and it is their right to gamble and the Government could not forbid them from gambling. It was also supported by backbencher Datuk Bung Mokhtar.

This is interesting as after reading this, leads me to think that prostitution may one day be legalized in Malaysia. Going along the rationale of thinking. Legalizing Prostitution would help legalize the industry as well as thwart illegal prostitution. Prostitution is for the non-Muslim and it is their right to seek prostitute service and the Government cannot forbid them from prostituting.

Going further, maybe one day, drug may be easily available. Instead of blaming poor enforcement, where it seems that the authorities are fighting a losing game, the Government can easily turn the table around and start "legalizing" many things. Starting with sports betting, maybe prostitution. WHY NOT?? Singapore has done it. Amsterdam is attracting many tourists. Legalizing Prostitution helps the Government to keep AIDs / HIV at bay, increase Tax collection, increase jobs opportunities, attract more tourists, earn more Forex.

Similarly, apply this to anything current illegal, look like the Government has more to gain.

The Government seems no long keen in maintaining the moral level of its citizen, she is more interested in increasing tax collection.

Would legalizing Sport betting put a stop to illegal bookies? I don't think so. Malaysia has legalized 4D prediction game, you have Sports Toto, Magnum , Damacai and well as those in Sarawak. But, it does not eliminate illegal underground bookies.

So, with legalized sports betting, you are opening up the accessibility for more and younger Malaysian to gamble. At present, those who wish to engage in Sports betting would need at least a credit card to transact online, but with easy accessibility to outlets and cash, people can easily gamble away their hard-earning money. And it seems the Government does not bother about the future social problems that it may create.

So, to sum it, if you can legalized something illegal now, then there is nothing really illegal, it just depend on how skillful and tough negotiators a businessman can be. If one day, someone wish to make drug consuming legalized and willing to donate a few billions to the Government and using the same argument, What will Malaysia end up as?

Sigh!! This is Malaysia lah.