GEORGE TOWN: Following a backlash on the blanket ban on the sale of alcohol beverages during the three-day Thaipusam festival, the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has made a U-turn and rescinded the notice with immediate effect.
State local government committee chairman Jason H’ng Mooi Lye said the ban was made without the consent of the state executive council.
“The ban is baseless and was done without our knowledge. I think there was miscommunication during one of the meetings with all the stakeholders,” he told a press conference at Komtar yesterday.
H’ng said any proposals on the prohibition of the sale of alcoholic beverages in the future should be referred to the state executive council for a decision.
He added that after scrutinising the notice issued by MBPP, he found that there was no need for it to cover the entire Thaipusam procession route.
“It is sufficient to implement this restriction only along Jalan Gottlieb and Jalan Utama as advised by the police. This has been the practice every Thaipusam as they are near the waterfall temple,” he said.
After a meeting on Monday, MBPP issued notices to 56 outlets along the chariot procession route to not to sell liquor.
“We have instructed our officers to retract each of the ban notices from the 51 premises starting Wednesday morning,” said H’ng.
