GEORGE TOWN: MCA Youth has criticised Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying’s use of Facebook to clarify the government’s stance on liquor storage, saying
MCA National Youth vice-chief Tan Yang Pang said the Finance Ministry or the Royal Malaysian Customs and Excise Department should formally announce such a decision.
Tan said relying on a social media post to communicate official policy gives the impression of casualness and undermines public confidence.
“It is not fitting for official policy to be conveyed in such an informal manner as the public deserves clear, authoritative communication,” he said on Tuesday (Aug 26).
Tan added that if the government has indeed decided no licence is required to keep duty-paid liquor at home, then the announcement must be issued officially, not left to a personal posting online.
"Government policies must be precise, legally enforceable, and properly documented, so that civil servants and the public can rely on clear directives rather than social media statements," he said.
He also urged the ministry to clarify if the Customs Department has the powers to raid residences who stored such amounts of liquor.
"We need a clear picture on all these issues," added Tan.
In her Facebook post on Sunday (Aug 24), Lim reassured Malaysians that no licence is required for keeping duty-paid liquor at home, provided it is purchased from licensed outlets and kept for personal consumption or collection, not for sale.
“I have confirmed this policy with the secretary-general of the Finance Ministry, the director-general of Tax, and the director-general of the Royal Malaysian Customs Department,” she said.
According to Lim, Malaysia’s Excise Act 1976 requires a sales licence for any retail or wholesale of liquor and for storage outside licensed premises, but private collections of legally purchased duty-paid liquor at home do not fall under this rule.
The debate began after a remark by the Customs Department raised alarm among liquor collectors, who feared that keeping large personal collections might constitute a violation of the Excise Act 1976.
The controversy stemmed from a dialogue session with the Northern Region Liquor Dealers Association, where Customs Department assistant director V. Kamalhasan cited Section 34 of the Excise Act 1976.
He was reported to have said that under the law, any premises used for storing liquor must be licensed, and collections growing to 30 or 40 bottles at home, often built up over years through special festival editions, were technically not permitted without a licence.
