SHAH ALAM, 8 Feb: Selangor will look into the views of the people as a whole regarding the ban of alcohol sales in areas with a Muslim majority to prevent the issue from being sensationalised with sentiments of race and religion.

The Chief Minister, Mohamed Azmin Ali, said that the sensitivity of the Muslim and non-Muslim communities must be respected to ensure that all issues arising can be solved harmoniously.

“I do not want to govern a state based on racial and religious sentiments because we cannot move forward.

“What is important is the state government’s responsibility to maintain harmony in the composite community in Selangor,” he said after officiating the Selangor Traditional Village Leader Appointment Letter Presentation Ceremony at the Silver Jubilee Hall today.

Prior to this, all states were advised to emulate Malacca that will enforce the ban on alcohol sales at convenience stores according to the population distribution of the local community.

However, the move taken by the Malacca government was previously done by former Selangor Exco member, Datuk Dr Hasan Mohamed Ali, in 2009 based on the Selangor Syariah Criminal Code Enactment 1995.

NS