ACCORDING to new directives given by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), sundry and grocery shops, convenience stores and Chinese medical halls will not allowed to sell hard liquor beginning October next year.

The new guidelines, however, state that pure or mixed liquor products in traditional medicine will be exempted.

Shops are still allowed to sell beer but it has to be placed separately from other beverages and can only be sold between 7am and 9pm.

Business premises located in front of police stations, houses of worship and also schools are not allowed to sell liquor, the guidelines posted on DBKL’s e-licensing website stated.

These premises include restaurants, pubs, bars, hotels, commercial complexes, warehouses, supermarkets, hypermarkets and places where promotional activities that serve liquor are commonly held. 

DBKL also said pubs, bars, lounges and restaurants are only allowed to sell liquor from 10am to midnight. 

Those who operate after midnight will have to make an additional application based on their permitted entertainment hours.

A colour code will also be introduced for liquor licences – blue for premises that allow customers to drink on-site and yellow for outlets that only allow liquor for takeaway purchases.

The new rules also make the sale of samsu (a high alcohol content cheap liquor) illegal throughout Kuala Lumpur from December 15. – November 16, 2020.