MCA WTF - MCO Cigarette sales OK, Liquor No

MCA froths over alcohol sale ban

MCA has criticised Putrajaya for enforcing a ban on alcohol sales during the two-week "total lockdown" period.

In a statement, only in Chinese, today, MCA secretary-general Choong Sin Woon said that this was an over-extension in the application of the law.

"Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks ought to be treated as essential goods according to the National Security Council rules.

"There should be no ban on such sales," he said.

He added that enforcement efforts should be conducted professionally and rationally, within the confines of the law while enforcers should not act under the influence of emotions or public opinion.

Enforcement officials in Kuala Lumpur have ordered liquor shops or departments in supermarkets to close during the "total lockdown" period.

Deputy Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Rosol Wahid defended the move, claiming that alcoholic beverages were not an "essential item".

However, he said cigarettes, which he conceded are not essential items, can be sold during this period because a ban would cause problems for addicts.

According to senior minister (security cluster) Ismail Sabri Yaakob, only liquor shops were affected by the temporary ban and that alcoholic beverages can still be purchased from convenience stores.