By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Feb 11: The decision to introduce zoning for separate alcohol and non-alcohol dining areas at Topspot Food Court goes against what the Sarawak government has always championed and should be scrapped immediately.
According to a statement by the Democratic Action Party (DAP) Wong King Yii, for decades, Topspot has been a proud representation of Sarawak’s harmony, where people of all backgrounds dine together.
“This has never been an issue before, and it should never have become one now. The fact that Sarawak’s dining culture is envied by West Malaysians speaks volumes.
“Why fix something that isn’t broken? Why should we suddenly start dividing ourselves? This is not who we are,” he said.
Wong, who is the DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) treasurer, said the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation’s (SEDC) decision to put the implementation on hold is not enough and that the idea must be scrapped immediately.
Recently, SEDC issued a statement saying that it retracted the zoning notice, acknowledging the concerns of the public and that it and its subsidiary, SEDC Permata Sdn Bhd, are aware of the recent discussions on social media regarding the move.
SEDC explained that last November, it received a proposal from the Sarawak Islamic Department (Jais) to establish separate zoning for alcohol and non-alcohol dining areas.
Following discussions with tenants, an agreement was finalised a month later in December and saw the introduction of a zoning arrangement for two areas—an Alcohol-Free Zone for customers who prefer a dining environment without alcohol, and a General Dining Zone that caters to those who wish to enjoy a broader selection of beverage options in a designated area. — DayakDaily
