Malaysia will finally gets its second resort casino, assuming the billionaire founder of the Berjaya Group conglomerate gets his way. Tan Sri Vincent Tan (pictured) is seeking a casino license for the Berjaya Hills Resort in Pahang and is prepared to invest RM3b (US $931m) to make that dream a reality. Tan told the New Straits Times the project – which would also include indoor and outdoor theme parks, retail and dining options and a convention center – would employ 10k local residents once completed.
Tan, whose holdings include the Sports Toto Malaysia betting operation and the Cardiff City football club, applied to add a casino to Berjaya Hills over a decade ago but this plan was rejected following protests from anti-casino campaigners. Tan now says he will reapply for the license based on his belief that the project would boost the country’s tourist revenue. Tan believes gamblers currently flocking to casinos in Macau, Cambodia, the Philippines and neighboring Singapore “would like to come here. We can expect hundreds of buses from Singapore to come here.”
Berjaya Hills currently has a permit to operate slot machines only. The resort is situated near Malaysia’s only existing full-fledged casino, Genting Highlands, but Tan says the country “should not stick to one operator.” In January, Berjaya dismissed speculation that it was seeking to build a casino in the southern state of Johor after local officials expressed strong opposition.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s illegal gambling dens have taken a tip from local karaoke parlors by employing female ‘guest relation officers’ (GRO) to lure in gamblers and keep them gambling. Roslee Chik, Senior Assistant Commander of the Federal Secret Societies, Gambling and Vice Division, says the GRO girls are “paid in tips or ladies drinks” to keep gamblers’ company at the blackjack, roulette and poker tables for up to 12 hours at a stretch. However, Roslee denied that the girls provided “extra service” to the gamblers. Well, of course not. For 12 hours? Dude, you’re supposed to see a doctor if your erection lasts more than four hours.
