General view of Forest City in Iskandar Puteri, Johor. The project is reportedly worth US$100 billion and is developed by Chinese firm Country Garden. ISKANDAR PUTERI, Johor: Media reports of Malaysia allegedly mulling a new casino in Johor’s beleaguered Forest City property development have seized public attention in recent weeks, prompting denials by the government, as well as police investigations and the arrest of individuals embroiled in the saga.
Regional gaming industry expert Ben Lee, managing partner of Macao-based casino consultancy IGamiX, told CNA: “Bear in mind that China is bearing down on any jurisdictions which have casinos and they have announced a couple of times that they have a blacklist of gambling destinations in Southeast Asia.
The denials came swiftly. On the same day, Mr Anwar denied that the government was considering the casino proposal, telling reporters at an event: “There is no such thing … The issue of casino licence is a hoax. Not true,” while holding out his arms in an X sign. Political activist Badrul Hisham Shaharin, or Chegubard, speaks to the media at the Johor Bahru Sessions Court on Apr 30, 2024.
According to the Bloomberg report, Malaysia’s king Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, who is also Johor’s ruler, controls 20 per cent of the Forest City joint venture with China-based Country Garden, the master developer. Political analyst Azmi Hassan told CNA that both the King and prime minister are likely to reject any casino proposals because of how betting is an illegitimate activity in Islam and due to political sentiments today.
“History shows that during the reign of Sultan Sir Ibrahim , three casinos were shut,” said Mr Onn Hafiz. “You would have thought that they would have just rubbished the news, denied it and moved on. So the vehemence of the denial is news in itself,” he added. Aerial view of Resorts World Genting, Malaysia's premier integrated resort destination and the recently opened Genting SkyWorlds theme park.
The development, located in a relatively remote corner of southern Johor, is unlikely to attract international visitors who will favour more established options such as the two integrated resort casinos in Singapore - Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa - as well as Resorts World Genting near Kuala Lumpur, experts said.
“But Forest City will never be an international draw card … Why would any international visitor land in Singapore and then drive a couple of hours to go across to JB when they have two international world-class casinos right there in Singapore?” he added. Since then, construction for half of one artificial island - equivalent to 15 per cent of the total area of the Forest City project - has been completed.
“The area is a bit ulu now. There’s a port there and many of the residents there are migrant workers who work at the port,” said Mr Low. Beijing’s stern warnings against its citizens gambling overseas in Asia is an indication that China would not advocate the construction of a casino at a property development invested in by a Chinese firm, say analysts, adding that there’s economic risk for Malaysia in China pulling back investments if it persists with the purported proposal.