Debated in Parliament on 17 Feb 2014.
Assoc Prof Tan Kheng Boon Eugene asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) for each year between 2009 and 2013, what are the number and type of liquor licences issued but are inactive in the proclaimed area of Little India; (b) what are the reasons for the issued liquor licences being inactive; and (c) how many of these inactive liquor licences are
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subsequently renewed in the following year.
A liquor licence is deemed "inactive" when the licensee has ceased the sale of liquor before its expiry date. Currently, there is no requirement for the licensee to terminate the licence or inform Police about the cessation of operations. Hence, Police do not have any record of "inactive" licences from 2009 to 2012. As these "inactive" liquor licensees had ceased their business operations, it is unlikely they would renew their licence.
Following the riot in Little India, Police implemented additional liquor sales restrictions in the area. This provided an opportunity to update the status of licence holders. Police found that 43 of the 374 liquor licence holders had ceased operations. Hence, the 2013 figure was amended to reflect the actual number of active licence holders.
Currently, inactive licence holders can continue to hold licences for which the licence fees had been paid. Police will look into imposing an additional requirement for a licensee to inform Police if the licensee ceases operations before the licence expires.
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