When online casino GDBet333 released a two-minute, 48-second Raya commercial promoting online gambling, what were they thinking?
The ad features a Muslim man who is planning to return to his hometown, but lacks cash, with the jingle claiming that there is an easy way to make money.
Gambling is forbidden in Islam and punishable under shariah law.
I suspect this video is the work of a non-Malaysian team, because ad people in Malaysia know better.
GDBet333 does post regular festive greetings on their platforms, but this gamble is already backfiring.
Also known as GDWon333, it is said to have started operations in 2010, based in Malaysia and Singapore.
Its website says it is an international betting company and has been reviewed by casinoreviews.my, yescasino.net, betreview.org, ministryofgambling.net and onlinecasinomalaysia2u.
The case is being investigated under Section 504 of the Penal Code and Section 4(1)(g) of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953. Section 504 relates to insult with the intent to provoke a breach of the peace and is punishable with a maximum imprisonment of two years or a fine or both. Section 4(1)(g) of the Common Gaming Houses Act, meanwhile, makes it an offence for anyone to announce or publish the opening or use of any location as a common gaming house, or invite or solicit any person to commit gambling.
Netizens are furious and MCMC is also on the case, not forgetting politicians and religious vigilantes.
The global social giants have been informed, but the video can still be viewed here:
This is how helpless we have become when all the powers to be are on the case but no one can snuff it out.
HELP!