THE Government has decided to revoke its decision to enforce liquor licenses in all restaurants and coffee shops to sell alcohol from next year, announced MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong.
In a statement on Tuesday (Dec 7), the transport minister said that he had contacted Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz who confirmed that his ministry has ordered the Customs Department to cancel the directive to state and local governments.
“I have personally contacted finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz, who is currently on a work trip to Singapore. He has confirmed that the finance ministry had indeed cancelled the above directives and (he) promised to instruct the customs department to abide by this decision,” Wee was quoted as saying by news portal Free Malaysia Today (FMT).
It was previously reported that coffee shops and restaurants must apply for a liquor licence – which cost between RM840 and RM1,320 a year – if they want to continue selling beer and stout in their premises from Jan 1, 2022.
Businesses were surprised by the sudden requirement, which although is in the Excise Act 1976 and Excise Regulations 1977, was only now being enforced. – Dec 7, 2021
