THE sale of alcohol from the bar is not allowed under the movement control order (MCO) because only restaurants are allowed to open, said Kuala Lumpur police chief Saiful Azly Kamaruddin.

He was responding to news reports about confused bar and restaurant owners after police yesterday ordered a few outlets on Kuala Lumpur’s Jalan Telawi, Bangsar, to stop selling alcohol to patrons.

“Premises which have a restaurant and bar licence cannot open their bar. Only restaurants are allowed to operate,” said Saiful Azly.

He said police were following the standard operating procedures (SOP) set by the National Security Council (NSC).

The SOP states that under the MCO, pubs and nightclubs including those with a restaurant, remain closed under the MCO. Only restaurants can operate.

The Vibes which reported on bar and restaurant owners’ confusion said police had ordered the owners to stop selling alcohol specifically.

“Police told us to stop serving alcohol because it is an order by the NSC.

“So, the police came to clarify that areas under MCO cannot serve alcohol, but if you are under the CMCO 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 SOPs do not prohibit restaurants from serving alcohol.

“According to what I have heard, these are instructions by the officer in charge of the Brickfields district police (Brickfields OCPD).

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