PETALING JAYA: The Associated Liquor Merchants Association (ALMA) will be forming a sub-committee with its stakeholders to table a proposal to Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) in light of their 2021 liquor licence guidelines.
The new directive, which takes effect on Oct 1 next year, stipulates that sundry shops, convenience stores and Chinese medicine shops in Kuala Lumpur will no longer be allowed to sell hard liquor.
ALMA secretary-general Albert Chooi, who is also Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Wine and Spirit Chinese Dealers Association secretary, said the sub-committee will try to find a solution before they submit any proposal to DBKL.
“Malaysia is not an extremist Muslim country that prohibits the sale of alcohol. This news is heartbreaking for us, because it’s our hard earned money. We have done nothing wrong,” Chooi told theSun yesterday.
ALMA has over 200 members in the city comprising Chinese medicine and sundry shops which have been licensed to sell alcohol for generations.
Chooi said taking their rice bowl away because of a few irresponsible drunk drivers is unfair and uncalled for.
“Not only will the dealers suffer, the government will lose a source of income through taxes. As it is our economy is already hurting, why make it worse?
“If consumers cannot buy authentic alcohol, they will resort to the counterfeit or smuggled ones, and the government will struggle to control that. There will also be various health issues in consumption of these types of liquor.
“Alcohol is sold in almost every other major city in the world. Why not here?” he said.
Other conditions set by the authorities include banning stores that face police stations, schools, hospitals and places of worship from selling hard liquor.
