Those who spread lies on Forest City casino project ought to be jailed, says PM

• "We have a monarchy system. It cannot be treated like politicians, attacked at will. This is definitely not permissible."

PUTRAJAYA (May 2): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has emphasised that any party associating him and the government with a purported casino project in Forest City must face legal action.

Describing those behind the allegations as politically bankrupt, Anwar said in this matter, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia had never broached the idea of organising gambling in Forest City.

"His Majesty has never mentioned to me any interest in organising gambling there.

"So where did it (allegations) come from? From all these bad people. They should be the ones replacing my cell in the Sungai Buloh (prison),” he said at the 2024 Labour Day celebration at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) on Wednesday.

Anwar reminded these individuals that they are free to criticise the government, but not the royal institution.

"You offend the rulers, and the rulers are a national institution we respect and uphold, as stated in the Constitution. We have a monarchy system. It cannot be treated like politicians, attacked at will. This is definitely not permissible," he said.

Anwar raised this matter because certain individuals had been making accusations and spreading slander regarding the casino issue.

An international news agency quoted sources in claiming that Malaysia was negotiating with several tycoons to establish a casino there, with Anwar supposedly having met with Berjaya Corp founder Tan Sri Vincent Tan and Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay from the Genting Group last week.

The report also claimed that representatives of Sultan Ibrahim and other senior government officials were present at that meeting.

The report alleged that discussions on the casino project were still at a preliminary stage.

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