Sunday, 26 Jul 2020 09:48 PM MYTHoteliers, restaurants, bars, wholesalers, importers and several other merchant groups today called on the Kuala Lumpur City Hall to lift its liquor licence suspension that they said may further hurt the economy still struggling to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. — AFP pic
In a joint statement, the eight associations said that the liquor licence suspension had a cumulative effect on many businesses financially and in terms of human resources, the latter which could see a spike in unemployment figures. The groups were listed as the Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Wine and Spirit Chinese Dealer’s Association; the Chinese Drug Dealers Association; the Malaysian Association of Hotels ; the Associated Liquor Merchants Association of the Federation of Malaya; the Federation of Malaysia Chinese Commerce Association; Ku Su Shin Association; the Federation of Sundry Goods Merchants Association of Malaysia; and the Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Teochew Sundry Goods Merchants Guild.
On top of that, the groups said DBKL requires many pubs and bars to acquire about five different licences. “In view of the many operators in the food and beverages and entertainment industries facing expiry of the liquor sales licences in the coming weeks, we would like to appeal to the Federal Territories Minister to engage us as stakeholders, as soon as possible,” they said.