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July 12, 2006
Malaysia: Coffeeshops Selling Liquor To Muslims Will Be Closed
We reported that Kelantan is the only one of Malaysia's 13 states which is still under the control of the extremist Islamic party, PAS (Parti Islam Se-Malaysia). Kelantan state lies in the north of Malaysia, adjacent to the Thai border province of Narathiwat. Its main city and administrative capital is Kota Baru.
Today, Malaysia's Star reports that Muslims have been banned from coffee-shops which are licensed to sell alcohol. 25 coffee-shops in Kota Baro and its environs are holders of permits to serve alcoholic beverages.
However, the secretary of Kota Baru Municipal Council (MPKB), Nazran Muhammad has ordered that any of these licensed premises which are found selling alcohol to Muslims will be closed down.
Last weekend, "enforcers" from the council descended upon such a licensed coffee-shop in Jalan Padang Garong. His entire stock of beer was seized. The actions nearly led to violence.
Nazran said that his enforcers had been "high handed", but argued that in that instance, the coffee-shop owner had his license upstairs, and not displayed downstairs in the shop itself.
Non-Muslim coffee-shops have to gain special licenses to trade. One such license allows them to sell non-Muslim food which is not halal. Another allows them to sell non-halal food and liquor.
Nazran urged coffee-shop owners to assist the council in its efforts to quell the rising numbers of Muslims consuming alcohol. Phang Soon Yan, a councillor from MPKB said that the coffee-shops had promised to help to check liquor sales amongst Muslims.
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at July 12, 2006 9:16 PM
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