KUALA Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) said there is no lifting of the freeze on the issuance of new licences for the sale of liquor at sundry shops, convenience stores, and Chinese medicine halls in the city. 

It said the new Excise Licensing Board of the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur (ELBKL) had carried out its existing functions and was only considering licence renewal applications. 

“The statement that the Excise Licensing Board, which met on November 23, 2023, has withdrawn the ban on the sale of liquor in sundry shops, convenience stores, and Chinese medicine halls is not true because consideration for the sale of liquor in such premises are still subject to the guidelines that have been set,” the statement read. 

“The board, which met on November 23, 2023, only approved a total of 1,519 licence renewal applications.” 

DBKL is the secretariat to ELBKL in processing liquor licence applications in Kuala Lumpur in accordance with the delegation of authority under Regulation 18 of the Excise (Licensing Board) Regulations 1977. 

A report that went viral recently stated that the newly appointed committee members of ELDBKL had lifted the ban on the sale of liquor in sundry shops, convenience stores, and Chinese medicine halls. 

Under guidelines implemented on November 1, 2021, DBKL prohibited the sale of liquor in those places. 

The ban caused discontent among many non-Muslims in the capital, as it was seen as a violation of their rights as consumers. – Bernama, December 5, 2023.