Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has refuted recent claims suggesting the lifting of the freeze on new licenses for the sale of liquor at sundry shops, convenience stores, and Chinese medicine halls in the city.

In an official statement released yesterday, DBKL clarified that the Excise Licensing Board of the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur (ELBKL) is solely focused on considering license renewal applications and has not rescinded the ban.

“The statement that claimed the board, which met on November 23, has withdrawn the ban on the sale of liquor in sundry shops, convenience stores, and Chinese medicine halls is not true. This is because consideration for the sale in such premises is still subject to the guidelines that have been set,” stated DBKL.

The Excise Licensing Board, during its meeting on November 23, approved a total of 1,519 license renewal applications, reinforcing DBKL’s commitment to overseeing existing licenses and adhering to the guidelines implemented on November 1, 2021.

Under these guidelines, DBKL had initially prohibited the sale of liquor in sundry shops, convenience stores, and Chinese medicine halls, sparking discontent among many non-Muslims in the capital who perceived it as a violation of their consumer rights.

DBKL serves as the secretariat to ELBKL in processing liquor license applications in Kuala Lumpur, operating under the delegation of authority outlined in Regulation 18 of the Excise (Licensing Board) Regulations 1977.

The recent clarification aims to dispel confusion arising from a viral report that claimed the ELBKL committee had lifted the ban on liquor sales in specific premises.

DBKL’s reaffirmation of the existing guidelines underscores the importance of adhering to regulations while addressing the concerns of consumers and stakeholders in the city.