Kedah Ordered To Pay RM50,000 In Court Costs Over Gambling Licence Ban, Public Donations Paid The Bill In Under 24 Hours
The fund opened on Saturday. By Sunday, it was closed. Yayasan Kedah Sejahtera halted collection after reaching the RM50,000 target — court costs ordered against the state government — in under 24 hours.
Source: The Rakyat Post · August 16, 2026 at 7:46 PM · AI-assisted report

KUALA LUMPUR, 17 AUGUST 2026 —
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Kedah Ordered to Pay RM50,000 in Court Costs Over Gambling Licence Ban; Public Donations Cover Bill in 24 Hours
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KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 16): The Kedah state government, led by the PAS party, was ordered to pay RM50,000 in court costs following a failed appeal against a ban on gambling licences. Instead of the state covering the costs, Yayasan Kedah Sejahtera (YKS) launched a 24-hour public donation drive and met the target within a day.
YKS closed the donation collection on Sunday after raising the full RM50,000 required to settle the court-ordered costs. The fund opened on Saturday (Aug 15) and was fully subscribed by Sunday evening. Zulkifli Yahaya, political secretary to Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, confirmed the closure in a statement, calling it a reflection of public support.
The RM50,000 payment stems from a three-court losing streak for the Kedah government. The High Court had ruled that the state’s directive instructing local authorities not to issue or renew gambling business licences was unconstitutional. The Federal Court, in a unanimous decision by a three-judge panel led by Datuk Rhodzariah Bujang, rejected Kedah’s leave to appeal, citing failure to meet the threshold under Section 96(a) of the Courts of Judicature Act 1964.
The Federal Court also ordered Kedah to pay RM50,000 in costs. Zulkifli stated that the Menteri Besar’s office had approved YKS as the collection agent, with funds to be processed through proper legal and financial channels before remittance. He added that many had asked how to contribute, highlighting strong public engagement.
This donation drive follows a pattern in PAS politics, where public and internal fundraising campaigns have been used to cover court costs, defamation damages, and legal fees arising from lost cases. Such contributions are often framed as collective obligations or, in some instances, as jihad donations to prevent leaders from facing bankruptcy or disqualification from office.
Details not yet available on the exact disbursement timeline or recipient of the funds. The case underscores the intersection of state policy, legal challenges, and public financing in Malaysia’s governance landscape.