COMMENT | There is a reason why there are severe restrictions or a complete ban on promoting activities such as smoking, drinking alcohol, and gambling - they have deleterious effects on the social fabric because of the harm they cause to society.

All developed countries have taken extensive steps to stop the promotion of such activities to ameliorate social ills and health hazards.

Smoking is the number one cause of preventable health disease, alcohol addiction has ripped apart families of all races.

Gambling is a severe addiction among many which brings untold harm to many families where the head of the household squanders income going up to the hill to make some money or buys sheaves of lottery tickets, squandering thousands each month.

In the long run, he loses because the odds are stacked against him.

Gambling in Malaysia is not merely recreational in nature. Many families have one or two members who have lost a lot of money in this insidious, addictive practice.

So bad is the reputation of the “sin” sector that ethical funds worldwide - and that is not restricted to Islamic funds - do not invest in these sectors and others which cause considerable environmental damage.

It is right that schools should not be allowed to receive funding from...