The Excise Licensing Board of the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur (ELBKL) has announced that Chinese medical halls and sundry shops in the capital city are allowed to continue selling hard liquor, provided they apply for license renewals, reported The Star. ELBKL Chairman, Dr. Ronald Pua, emphasized that the board evaluates applications on a case-by-case basis, considering compliance with relevant regulations.
“There is no blanket ban on the sale of liquor, rather applications are considered on a case-by-case basis. As long as applicants comply with the requirements, including getting relevant permits and licences, their applications (to sell liquor) will be considered,” stated Dr. Pua to StarMetro, following decisions made during the new ELBKL committee’s inaugural meeting last week.
The ELBKL’s move represents a reversal of a 2021 decision by the Federal Territories Ministry, now the Federal Territories Department, which initially restricted outlets, including sundry shops and Chinese medical halls, from selling hard liquor. Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s guidelines, effective November 1, 2021, limited such shops to selling beer only between 7 am to 9 pm.
In its recent meeting, ELBKL renewed 1,519 applications for liquor licenses, including those from Chinese medicine halls and convenience stores. Additionally, 513 new applications for liquor licenses have been received.
Federal Territory and Selangor Chinese Medicine/Drug Sellers Association president, Alex Ma, expressed relief at the news, urging members to promptly submit license renewal applications. He highlighted the approaching festive season, stating, “Hopefully, it will be approved soon, because Christmas and Chinese New Year are around the corner.”
Seputeh MP Teresa Kok welcomed the decision as a positive move, emphasizing the importance of stakeholder engagement in future decisions. Kok expressed confidence in merchants following guidelines and stressed the need for a business-friendly environment, particularly in a capital city like Kuala Lumpur, which attracts many foreign tourists.
“The government should be business-friendly, especially in a capital city like Kuala Lumpur which welcomes many foreign tourists,” she stated.
A spokesperson from Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) mentioned that a statement regarding liquor sales applications would be issued shortly, adding to the ongoing discussion surrounding the evolving policy on alcohol sales in the city.
