Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker
KUANTAN: A directive that threatened to affect the business of entertainment outlets by forcing them to close early here has been rescinded.
The move, by Kuantan Municipal Council, would have seen the outlets closing by 11.30pm for one month.
In an emergency meeting yesterday between seven MCA councillors and Kuantan Municipal Council president Datuk Zulkifli Yaacob an amicable solution was reached.
Councillor Datuk David Lee who led the group, said the council had agreed to revert the closing time to 1am daily and 2am on Saturday.
Lee said Muslims patrons however would be barred from entering these outlets from 11pm onwards.
“A standard notice must be posted on the outside informing all Muslim patrons of this.
“If enforcement officers find any Muslim patrons inside, the operating licence will be suspended,” he told a press conference.
Lee said the guideline was introduced this year by the council’s Licensing Department after receiving public complaints.
It would have affected hundreds of entertainment outlets such as cyber cafes, karaoke joints, snooker centres and massage parlours.
Asked why the councillors did not raise a protest over the move earlier, Lee said the matter had been decided at an internal meeting and that they were not consulted.
In a management meeting by the council on June 17, it was decided to close all entertainment outlets for one month from 11.30pm between June 19 to July 18 as a mark of respect for the month of Ramadan.
Lee said at the press conference yesterday that credit “should be given to the council’s president for listening to the grievances of the people and making the right decision”.
MCA Religious Harmony Bureau chairman Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker said MCA did not agree with the directive saying “it is a trespass and encroachment into the rights and freedom of traders.”
Ti said there were some businesses operating into the wee hours of the morning which had not affected any community adversely.
“If there is any evidence of negative influences, there must be uniform bylaws or guidelines instead of seasonal or ad hoc rulings that will affect the livelihood of traders who have to pay their monthly overheads,” he said.
“The directive is meaningless and will only inconvenience businesses and portray Kuantan in a negative light that is only prevalent in PAS administered state like Kelantan,” he added.
Entertainment outlets were relieved with the development.
“We pay more than RM7,000 a year for licences for entertainment and to sell liquor. We also close our shops by 1am daily.”
“It is not fair to impose such restrictions on us,” pub owner R.Gunasekaran, 52, said.
Gunasekaran who has been operating a pub for the past 26 years estimated that his pub would lose more than 60% in profits by closing at 11.30pm as most of his patrons started late.
Bar owner, Tony Yip, 52, was also glad.
“Our shops open at 9pm. If we were to close two-and-a-half hours later, how much would we earn?” he asked.
