Malaysian court quashes London casinos
bid to recover huge gambling debt from politician
A London casino’s attempt to recover a gambling debt of more than 7 million
ringgit (US$1.8 million, €1.5 million) which was racked up by a senior Malaysian
politician in the country’s ruling party has been quashed by a Malaysian court.
The Ritz Hotel Casino in London allowed Osu Sukam, a former chief minister
of the timber-rich Sabah state to run up the debt when it gave him credit
to gamble. The casino later obtained a judgment from a British court to recover
the debt.
Later on, the casino appealed to a Malaysian high court to enforce the British
court order on Osu. Osu, who resides in Sabah state, is a divisional leader
in Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s ruling United Malays National Organization.
Malaysian High Court Judge, Ian Chin, said in his judgment on Tuesday that
is impossible to enforce the British court order in Malaysia, saying, “Malaysians
must be protected from being enticed to gamble by casinos who give them credit.”
“This is entrapment and must be discouraged. We must stop foreign judgment
founded on gambling on credit from being registered in Malaysia and from being
enforceable here,” the judge stated in his judgment which was published on
the court Web site.
It was not clear when Osu chalked up the enormous debt or when the casino had
obtained the court order in Britain. Chin added that the court order, if enforced
in Malaysia, would allow “foreign countries to exercise extraterritorial jurisdiction.”
“It is highly offensive and totally unfair for the casino to allow anyone to
gamble on credit in the hope that he will lose not only his pants, but the
livelihood of his wife and children as in this case,” Chin said.
“Actually, I think that a law should be passed which will allow a gambler to
sue a casino which he believes has enticed him to gamble beyond his means.”
Chin also said that Osu, who is a Muslim, did not deserve to be awarded costs
for the hearing as he had “engaged in an activity that his religion frowns
upon.”
Osu and court officials were not available for comment at the time and it is
not immediately known if Osu will have to face any action from his ruling party
over the issue.
