KUALA LUMPUR – Both the defence minister and inspector-general of police appear to have been caught off guard by the actions of city police, which yesterday evening ordered supermarkets and shops selling alcohol to shut their premises or take down the offending display.
When asked, Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob expressed surprise.
“Premises that sell alcohol (closed)? Even the 7-11 that sells alcohol is (allowed to) open,” he told The Vibes.
Top cop Datuk Seri Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani meanwhile said he is unaware that Kuala Lumpur police had ordered several hypermarkets to cease selling alcohol, with some of these businesses closing even before the 8pm cut-off time during the Covid-19 lockdown period.
“Not that I know of. Please check with the Kuala Lumpur police chief,” he said in a WhatsApp message.
Earlier, Brickfields police chief Anuar Omar told Free Malaysia Today that as per the National Security Council’s standard operating procedures, all shops selling alcohol are to close immediately.
“Alcohol is not considered an essential drink. There is no need to sensationalise this, as this is a government order to help stem the spread of Covid-19,” he was reported as saying.
It is obvious that Anuar did not get the memo, as Ismail Sabri on Tuesday announced that breweries are not essential and hence must close during the lockdown, although premises allowed to operate and happen to sell alcohol, such as restaurants, hypermarkets, and Chinese medicine shops, can remain open.
This is not the first time that confusion has reigned over the sale of alcohol during the movement control order.
In February, Kuala Lumpur police raided restaurants serving alcohol and ordered them closed, but returned later in the evening to say they could stay open.
Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa had also said then that premises with liquor licences could operate. – The Vibes June 4, 2021
Additional reporting by T. Vignesh
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