Ipoh City Council to expand alcohol sales ban in Muslim-majority areas

LocalPolitics
19 Jan 2025 • 10:35 AM MYT
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PETALING JAYA: Ipoh City Council is considering extending its alcohol sales restrictions to additional Muslim-majority neighbourhoods, following the model established in Gugusan Manjoi.

The current ban in Gugusan Manjoi was implemented in 2020 and 2021 after residents voiced opposition to alcohol sales.

Several other areas, including Tambun, Rapat Setia, and Sungai Rokam, have now requested comparable restrictions.

Its mayor, Datuk Rumaizi Baharin, confirmed that the council will examine requests from Muslim-majority communities seeking similar prohibitions, Sinar Harian reported.

“For instance, my hometown of Ulu Chepor is 100% Malay-Muslim, just like Manjoi, and they also request the same alcohol sales restrictions. In principle, we agree.

“Now, other Muslim-majority communities outside Gugusan Manjoi are requesting similar bans in their areas,“ he was quoted as saying.

He also said the council plans to review each request carefully, and that the stakeholder input would be considered in the decision-making process.

“If necessary, we will hold public hearings to determine the best approach for implementation,“ he said.