Medicine hall groups are demanding explanations, with some saying that there should a clear distinction between liquor and traditional medicines with alcohol content, The Star reported today.
“The medicine halls have already paid for a liquor licence. This is very wrong. Firstly, the alcohol in the medicine is different, it is to treat illnesses.
"Secondly, if it is the hard liquor, why suddenly do this? They already took money for the licence and now they say cannot,” the daily quoted Malaysian Chinese Medical Association secretary-general Heng Aik Teng as saying.
The ban imposed by the Petaling District Licensing Council will affect Chinese medical halls in Petaling Jaya, Subang Jaya and Shah Alam with immediate effect.
Those who fail to abide by the new regulations could have their licences revoked, the council had warned.
Heng urged the authorities to explain the move and said that if it concerned Muslims purchasing the medicines, then it should be made clear who could buy it and who could not.
Federation of Chinese Physicians and Acupuncturists Association Malaysia president Prof Ng Po Kok said that if medicine halls were stopped from selling medicinal liquors, it could seriously impact their business.
“There needs to be a discussion if hard liquor is the issue. You can’t just ban everything. The trader will also be affected. You can’t just suddenly set new policies,” he told The Star, adding that the shops which sold hard liquor had licences.
Selangor Exco in charge of local governments Ean Yong Hian Wah said the state government did not have anything to do with the ban imposed by the Petaling District and Land Office.
“We are very concerned about this matter and will be discussing it at next week’s exco meeting,” said Ean Yong when contacted by The Star.
In a letter dated March 11 this year to all retail outlets, Petaling District Licensing Council chairman Syarifah Ainul Suhana Syed Mohd Taha said that based on a Petaling District Excise Licensing meeting on January 21, medicine shops would be prohibited from selling liquor with immediate effect.
Under the new ruling, medicine shops would also have to list all drugs which contain alcohol and the list must be displayed at the outlets.
Some shopowners, however, said the notice was made available to them only a few days ago while others said they had received nothing.
When contacted by The Star, the Petaling District Office declined to comment on the ruling.
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