Agencies urged to study possibility to ban Muslims working at 24-hour joints

Relevant agencies have been urged to conduct a study on the possibility to prohibit Muslims from working at 24-hour convenience store chain that sells liquor.

Suhaimi Salleh (BN-Kukup) said the sale of alcohol involving Malay workers, who worked in the outlets, should not be compromised as it involved matters of dignity, race and religion as well as a sin in Islam.

"It is clear that Islam has stated it as a sin to drink liquor, those who sell them also have committed a sin. It is also a sin for those who lift the box of liquor and stack it on shelves.

"Are we going to let this sinful act to go on? It may look like a small matter, but it is a serious sin before God," he said when debating the royal address by Sultan of Johor during the 13th State Legislative Assembly sitting here Tuesday.

Suhaimi also urged the agencies to seriously scrutinise the matter as it could harm the pride of Malays, especially the youths.

The issue pertaining to a 24-hour convenience store chain that sells liquor have been widely reported in the media after Malacca Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Idris Haron proposed that the store management employs various races as majority of the workers are Malays and the sale of alcohol is a sensitive issue for them.

Malacca is conducting a comprehensive study on the proposal to ban the sale of alcohol by the store chain in a Muslim-majority area.