KUALA LUMPUR – The scheduled ban on sales of alcohol at grocery stores and convenience stores in the capital city on 1 October 2021 will be finalised today.
The enforcement of the ban will be discussed and decided by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) Excise Board during the Special Projects Executive Committee Meeting that is entrusted to carry out the new regulation.
“Some of the works require the presence of the minister, and some of them only require the officers. Usually, the minister is needed when a decision cannot be reached.
“However, we will share the decision before tomorrow (the alcohol sales ban),” Minister of Federal Territories, Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim said briefly after launching the Creative Community Entrepreneurs Programme today.
On 16 November 2020, DBKL introduced a new guideline on the renewal of liquor sales license that took effect on 15 November last year.
The guideline was finalised by the Excise Board during the Executive Committee and Special Projects Meeting No. 11 chaired by the then Federal Territories Minister on 7 October 2020.
Among the agencies involved in the meeting were the Ministry of Federal Territories, Ministry of Health, Customs, Police, Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (JAWI) and non-government organisations.
The Chairman of DBKL Excise Board, Datuk Lau Beng Wei said that the guideline was not meant to block the sales and purchase of alcohol, but to control the ease of obtaining alcoholic drinks for the safety and health of the city dwellers.
Meanwhile, the guideline also stop the sales of liquor in grocery stores and convenience stores beginning 1 October 2021.
Besides that, the ban is also imposed on the Chinese traditional medicine stores, however, exemptions are given to alcoholic drinks for ‘traditional medicinal purposes’.
“With effect of 1 October 2021, no new LMK (intoxicating alcoholic drinks) licenses will be issued to grocery stores, convenience stores and Chinese medicine stores.
“Renewal for existing LMK for grocery stores, convenience stores and Chinese medicine stores are only allowed until 30 September 2021,” said the guideline.
Nevertheless, the sales is permitted in supermarkets, hypermarkets, hotels, bars and pubs to customers above the age of 21. -MalaysiaGazette
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