KUALA LUMPUR: Putrajaya collected RM36.88mil in tax revenue from special draws by number forecast operators as of September this year, says the Finance Ministry.

       According to the Finance Ministry, RM72.53mil in taxes was collected in 2020, while RM113.29mil was collected in 2019.

       "Revenue from the special draws will be channeled to the Finance Ministry's Special Resource Trust Fund," said the Ministry in a Parliamentary written reply dated Monday (Nov 15).

       The Finance Ministry was responding to Anthony Loke (PH-Seremban), who asked the Finance Ministry to state the amount of taxes collected from special draws by number forecast operators in 2019, 2020, and 2021.

       Number forecast operators had suffered when the movement control order was first enforced in March last year to curb Covid-19.

       More recently, number forecast operators came into the spotlight after Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said an immediate ban will be enforced in Kedah across the state on all 4D lottery shops.

       Sanusi said he directed local authorities not to renew the business license of 4D lottery shops in Kedah and the ban was to tackle problems related to gambling in the state.

       He also said that no new premise licenses will be issued to 4D lottery shops in the state, adding that sales of alcoholic beverages will be limited in Kedah.