SHAH ALAM, 16 Nov 2009: The Selangor government has yet to designate a suitable area in the state for the sale of liquor, Local Government, Studies and Research Committee chairperson Ronnie Liu said today.
Replying to a question by Yap Ee Wah (BN-Sungai Pelek) in the state legislative assembly, he said the mechanism on the sale of liquor was in place, whereby a licence must be secured from the district excise licensing board headed by the district officer.
Alcoholic beverages such as beer, which contains less than 8.88% of alcohol, could be sold by retail shops and convenience stores without needing a licence, he said.
There have been calls in Selangor for a prohibition on the sale of alcoholic beverages by convenience stores in areas where the majority of the population is Muslim.
Liu said the state government encouraged traders to exercise control on the sale of alcoholic beverages in Muslim-majority areas. These measures included disallowing sale of alcoholic beverages to Muslims and people under 18, he said.
Alcoholic beverages were also kept separate from other drinks on shelves, he added.
Liu said these voluntary measures had been implemented well, and that since there was no blanket ban on the sale of liquor, there was no negative effect on traders and tourists.
To a supplementary question from Wong Koon Mun (BN-Kuala Kubu Baharu) on the number of licences for liquor sale issued by the government so far, Liu said he would give a written reply. — Bernama
