DAP secretary-general and former finance minister Lim Guan Eng today questioned Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong whether he would assume full responsibility if any state authority imposes alcohol licensing for the sale of beer by coffee shops and restaurants.

This came after Wee’s announcement yesterday that the Finance Ministry had directed the Customs Department to cancel its directive to enforce liquor licence requirements for the retail sale of alcoholic beverages.

It was earlier reported that coffee shops and restaurants must apply for a liquor licence, which costs between RM840 and RM1,320 a year, if they want to continue selling beer and stout in their premises from January 1.

“This so-called revocation of requiring licensing for the sale of beer announced by Wee is no revocation at all because the decision on whether to impose licensing fees of up to RM1,300 is now given to the state government’s licensing authority,” Lim said in a statement.

He noted that this was different from the current position where the Finance Ministry makes the same recommendation that was made for the last 45 years under the 1976 Excise Act that there was no need to license the sale of beer as alcohol.

“If Wee claims that the issue is resolved, then the finance minister should announce that the decision whether to impose licensing on sale of beer should not be surrendered to the respective state licensing authority but must revert back to the previous position for the last 45 years,” Lim said.

“Clearly, this is federal power exercised by the finance minister because selling liquor without a licence is punishable by a RM50,000 fine under the 1976 Excise Act and not under state laws,” he said.

“Why give power to the state licensing authority which was not there? By surrendering his powers to the respective state government, it is an abdication of responsibility to exercise power over what is within the purview of the Finance Ministry,” he said.

Lim also highlighted that while restaurant and coffee shop operators in Pakatan Harapan-controlled state governments are safe, it may adversely affect the customary lifestyle and normal business practices of non-Muslims in other places where the state governments are deeply influenced by PAS’ “extremist” policies.

“This is because the Finance Ministry will remain silent and do nothing when some state governments influenced by the extremist PAS policies decide to impose alcohol licensing fees on coffee shops and restaurants,” Lim said.

“Even Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (City Hall) banned sundry shops, convenience stores and Chinese medicine halls from selling liquor which had been sold undisturbed since Merdeka in 1957, even though DBKL knows that this is sold only to non-Muslims,” he said.

The Association of KL-Selangor Coffee Shops and Restaurant Operators reiterated their that the federal government must revert to the previous position that automatically permits coffee shops and restaurants to continue to sell beer without paying alcohol licensing fees that cost up to RM1,300.

“Wee’s acceptance of letting state licensing authorities to decide is irresponsible and unacceptable to restaurant and coffee shop operators because beer sales which were never required to be licensed before, now may be subject to some state governments imposing licensing fees,” Lim added. – December 8, 2021.