Businessmen in a fix over long delays in liquor licence approvals
Published on: Tue, Jul 22, 2025
By: Jimmy Goh Text Size: Several business owners claimed waiting months for their liquor licence applications to be processed by the relevant authorities, creating a cash flow crisis that threatens the viability of their ventures. - FMT pic for illustration only. Kota Kinabalu: Several entertainment outlets here are experiencing financial hardship as prolonged delays in their liquor license approvals prevent them from kick starting their operations, forcing many to pay rental costs for premises that remain unopened. Several business owners claimed waiting months for their liquor licence applications to be processed by the relevant authorities, creating a cash flow crisis that threatens the viability of their ventures. The delays have left entrepreneurs in a precarious position where they continue to incur overhead expenses without generating any revenue. 'We are paying rent every month for premises we cannot use,' said one affected business owner who requested anonymity. 'The financial pressure is mounting because we have all these ongoing costs but no income stream to offset them,' he said. Many expressed their respect for regulatory requirements and their desire to operate within the law by obtaining appropriate licenses before beginning sales. 'We want to do things the right way and get proper approval before we start selling. But the system is working against us when it takes so long to process applications that businesses risk closure before they even open,' said another businessman. Adding to their frustration, many applicants remain unclear about the exact approval process, questioning how many departments are involved in reviewing their applications. Some business owners suspect that delays may be caused by departments failing to attend scheduled meetings meant to deliberate on licensing matters. 'We do not even know how many departments need to sign off on our applications,' said one frustrated entrepreneur. 'Are all the relevant departments actually showing up to these meetings or are applications being delayed because someone is not at the table when decisions need to be made?' she said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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