Kulim liquor ban: MCA turns the screw
It was pathetic of state exco Lim Soo Nee to say that it was sabotage, says MCA’s Wee Ka Siong.
(Free Malaysia Today) – MCA today dismissed the Kedah government’s plea of innocence in the Kulim liquor ban as a “pathetic excuse”.
Referring to Kedah executive councillor Lim Soo Nee’s statement that the ban by the Kulim district office was an “act of sabotage”, MCA youth chief Wee Ka Siong said this was not the first time that the PAS-led government had tried to impose Islamic laws on non-Muslims.
“Previously, we had the state government instructing eateries in the state to close at 3pm during Ramadhan,” Wee said in a media statement.
“The state also imposed a blanket ban on 13 types of entertainment outlets from operating during the fasting month. The prohibition was later overturned after pressure from MCA.”
Lim, who is the state assemblyman for Kulim, spoke of his suspicion of a sabotage in an interview with a news portal yesterday. He said he informed Menteri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak about the ban immediately upon hearing of it on Monday and promised that the state executive council would discuss it.
Azizan, speaking to the Star yesterday, said his administration had not ordered any such ban. “Any decision to impose such a regulation should be made during the state executive council meeting,” he said.
According to the Star’s report, the Kulim district officer wrote last month to liquor shop owners in the district that it would automatically terminate their licences by June this year. The letter said this was in accordance with the Kulim Licensing and Excise Board decision in October to turn Kulim into a liquor-free district.
However, according to a report in the Sun today. Kulim municipal councillor Mohamad Nabil Puteh denied that there had been such a decision.
Kulim District Officer Dzohir Mat Zin could not be contacted for his comments. A member of his staff said he would be available tomorrow.
Wee’s statement today warned that the ban would disrupt the livelihoods of both Muslims and non-Muslims.
