SHAH ALAM, 4 July: The Selangor Government has rejected allegations by some people who claim that the state has proposed the construction of the largest horse racing gambling centre in Asia, at Bukit Tagar, Hulu Selangor.

The Executive Councillor for Islamic Affairs, Agricultural Modernisation and Rural Development, Sallehen Mukhyi, said that the developer involved had applied for permission to build the horse racing track, however, the State Government rejected the application.

“There was an application from the developer, but the State Government has rejected the proposal application,” he told Selangor Kini via Short Messaging System (SMS).

He said that the State Government takes the stand of not allowing the claimed construction.

Yesterday, several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) lodged a police report to oppose the construction proposal.

They urged the Selangor state government, the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP), the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) and the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) to take decisive action against the developer.

Previously, the Hulu Selangor PAS President, Muhammad Idris Ahmad, said that they denied claims by the developer that claimed that the centre was accepted by the Malay community in the area.

In fact, in early 2011, the Merdeka Centre conducted a survey regarding the construction of the horse racing track and the result showed that the majority of the Malay community in the area rejected the construction.

It is understood that the construction aims to move the horse racing track at Sungai Besi in 2004, however it was delayed when Pakatan Rakyat managed to take over Selangor in the 12th General Election (GE12).

Since 2008, the Pakatan Rakyat State Government no longer issued licences for massage parlours and entertainment, and the policy is continued to this day.

NS