The Selangor government has yet to designate a suitable area in the state for the sale of liquor, Local Government, Studies and Research Committee chairperson Ronnie Liu said today.

NONE Replying to an oral question from Yap Ee Wah (BN-Sungai Pelek) in the state legislative assembly, he said the mechanism on the sale of liquor was in place whereby a licence must be secured from the district excise licensing board headed by the district officer.

Alcoholic beverages such as beer, which had less than 8.88 percent of alcohol content, could be sold by retail shops and convenience stores without the need to obtain a licence, he said.

There have been calls in Selangor for a prohibition on the sale of alcoholic beverages by convenience stores in areas where the majority of the population is Muslim.

Liu said the state government encouraged traders to exercise control on the sale of alcoholic beverages in areas where the majority of the population was Muslim.

These measures included disallowing sale of alcoholic beverages to Muslims and people under 18, he said.

Alcoholic beverages were also kept separate from other drinks on shelves, he added.

He said these voluntary measures had been implemented well and that since there was no blanket ban on the sale of liquor, there was no negative effect on traders and tourists.

Liu did not reply to a supplementary question, from Wong Koon Mun (BN-Kuala Kubu Baharu), on the number of licences for sale of liquor issued by the government so far, saying he would give a written reply.

Errant old folks homes should be punished

khalid ibrahim On another matter, Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said action should be taken against the old folks home which rented rooms to illegal immigrants.

Action was necessary as welfare homes in Selangor pay quit rent of only RM1 annually, he said in reply to a supplementary question by Mohd Shamsudin Lias (BN- Sungai Burong).

"We can act if it is true. There is a lot of request for welfare homes," he said during question and reply session today.

An integrated operation by Ampang Jaya Muncipal Council, Rela, Imigration and Registration Department yesterday found 18 illegal immigrants sleeping in the old folks home at Kampung Ampang Indah.

Khalid told Dr Shafie Abu Bakar (PAS-Bangi) that 36 welfare homes given grants by the Welfare Services Department had 2,000 inmates while 38 homes under the supervision of Selangor Zakat Board had more than 1,000 inmates.

- Bernama