PETALING JAYA: Any new policy or enforcement action must be conducted rationally and not be influenced by public opinion, says Datuk Chong Sin Woon.
“Any policy or law enforcement procedure by any government agency should be conducted professionally and rationally, within the confines of the law with clear legal provisions and instructions devoid of confusion, and not be influenced by emotions or public opinion,” the MCA secretary-general said.
In a statement Friday (June 4), Chong also urged the government not to allow the implementation of any rulings that could potentially curtail the constitutional rights of Malaysians.
Referring to news reports over the police’s instruction to ban the sale of alcohol at supermarkets, Chong described the policy as “over-enforcement”.
Chong said similar to soft drinks, alcoholic beverages should not be listed in the prohibited category, as he pointed out that SOPs by the National Security Council (NSC) did not include alcoholic beverages in its negative list.
On Friday evening, Deputy Domestic Trade And Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Rosol Wahid clarified that alcohol could be sold on premises such as convenience stores with licences to sell liquor as long as they were allowed to operate during the lockdown.
Rosol’s clarification came following an earlier remark where he was quoted by news portal The Vibes as saying that alcohol would not be sold at premises as it was not considered an essential item during the lockdown.
The confusion on whether alcohol could be sold at premises arose on Friday after pictures of alcohol sections in shops being closed off made the rounds on social media.
This was further fuelled by a police raid on a store in Brickfields, which police said had violated its operating permit as it was exclusively selling liquor and not food and beverages as stated.
The initial confusion over the alcohol sales had drawn brickbats from Malaysians, with many questioning on social media whether an alcohol ban would bring down surging Covid-19 figures.
