KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 — Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) today announced that it would be freezing all new applications for licences to sell alcohol with immediate effect.

In a brief Facebook post today, DBKL’s Licensing and Petty Traders Development Department made the public announcement, adding that enforcement action would be taken on any premises that sell alcohol without a licence.

The announcement by DBKL did not elaborate on the reasons for the freeze, but comes amid a recent spotlight on road accidents involving drunk or intoxicated drivers and who had caused the deaths of other road users.

Yesterday, Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa wrote on Twitter that new licences to sell alcohol should be frozen.

"With the occurrence of drunk drivers and the causing of accidents, the issuing of new licences to sell alcohol should be frozen until a guideline and review of laws can be carried out. The local authorities’ licensing for premises should be tightened,” he wrote.