Fewer special draws

> Move aims to address issues of social ills, minimise rakyat’s financial burden, says Lim

KUALA LUMPUR: Tuesday special draws, conducted by number forecast operators, will be reduced beginning next year, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said yesterday.

He said this was to address issues of social ills and to minimise the financial burden of the rakyat, especially those in the lower income group.

Lim said a total of 22 special draw dates, that are to be held simultaneously among all number forecast operators, have been approved by the previous Barisan Nasional (BN) government for this year.

Lim said since special draws were introduced in 1999, an average of RM200 million was collected each year, with about RM238 million in 2017 alone as compared to only RM80.4 million in its first year of inception.

Special draws were initially introduced to collect revenue that would be used to, among others, finance sports, social welfare and health activities that are beneficial to the rakyat, as well as other activities approved by the Finance Ministry.

He said the plan to reduce the number of special draws would be announced on Nov 2 when the government tables its Budget 2019.

Lim was replying to a question by Wong Shu Qi (PH-Kluang) on whether the government intends to allow number forecast operators such as Magnum, Sports Toto and Da Ma Cai to hold special draws every Tuesday for 2019 and in the future.