KUALA LUMPUR – Seven Kuala Lumpur MPs have lambasted Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim’s cop-out in passing the buck on the liquor sales issue in Kuala Lumpur to his ministry’s Excise Licensing Board.
In a joint press statement today, the opposition lawmakers recalled that the federal territories minister has broken his promise of finding a “win-win” solution over the latest act of political and religious play by the government.
However, they claimed that the directive issued by Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) Licensing and Business Development Department on November 1, 2021 is not a “win-win” solution.
Furthermore, they said it is made worse because the directive turned into a complete ban on liquor sales in all sundry shops and Chinese medicinal halls in Kuala Lumpur.
“We are appalled that Shahidan chose to pass the buck to the Excise Licensing Board instead of telling the truth and helping resolve the situation by reversing the ban. In fact, this Excise Licensing Board is a government agency under Shahidan’s ministry.
“This means the minister has the power to change or amend any wrong decisions. Kuala Lumpur Pakatan Harapan MPs have been engaging with Shahidan on this unfair liquor sales ban issue since he became the federal territories minister.
“This means he knows the situation very well,” said the statement signed by Tan Kok Wai (Cheras), Fong Kui Lun (Bukit Bintang), Teresa Kok (Seputeh), Lim Lip Eng (Kepong), Hannah Yeoh (Segambut), Datin Paduka Dr Tan Yee Kew (Wangsa Maju) and P. Prabakaran (Batu).
Hard liquor is normally sold in shops or outfits run by non-Muslims for the consumption of non-Muslims.
In fact, there is an absolute ban on the sale of liquor to Muslims and to those below 21 years of age.
The seven claimed that DBKL’s decision and the federal territories minister’s approval for such an arbitrary ban are unfair and a direct assault on businesses and consumers’ rights of non-Muslims.
“We have told Shahidan that sundry shops and Chinese medicinal halls in Kuala Lumpur are small and medium businesses with low profit margins. The sales of liquor to non-Muslims in these shops is one of the main sources of revenue for them.
“We, MP of Kuala Lumpur, also wish to remind Shahidan that such an unfair ban on liquor sales in the outlets will encourage more illicit trade on liquor, and even sales of unlicensed liquor in Kuala Lumpur. Online sales of alcohol will also blossom.
“On top of that, such a ban on liquor sales will create resentment of non-Muslims toward the government and further create disharmony between Muslims and non-Muslims, not only in Kuala Lumpur but also throughout Malaysia,” said the joint statement. – The Vibes, November 7, 2021
