BRICKFIELDS police said they had to stop restaurants and bars from serving alcohol at Bangsar eateries yesterday, as stipulated under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Regulations (Measures Within the Infected Local Areas) 2020.

A source from Brickfields police declined to reveal why officers had ordered owners to stop serving alcohol but added that, under the regulation, activities in pubs and nightclubs including restaurant business are prohibited.

“Any activity with many people in attendance at a place makes it difficult to maintain social distancing,” he added.

Yesterday, it was reported that police officers from Brickfields police station had told restaurant and bar owners on Jalan Telawi to stop selling alcohol.

According to The Vibes, several owners said that the cops had told them that they could serve anything but alcohol.

“The police told us to stop serving alcohol because it is so ordered by the National Security Council.

“So, the police came to clarify that areas under movement control order (MCO) cannot serve alcohol, but if you are under the conditional MCO you can,” Omar Osman the manager of W1 restaurant bar told The Vibes.

Joshua Billique from the Bangsar Bar and Restaurants Owners (BRO) said the SOP do not prohibit restaurants from serving alcohol.

“According to what I have heard, these are instructions by the officer in charge of the Brickfields station.

“This is a very sudden rule change without proper announcement,” Joshua told the portal.

According to the National Security Council SOP, only pubs and clubs should remain closed during the MCO. – February 20, 2021.