What Would Happen If Malaysia's 24-Hour Mamak Stalls Had A Curfew?

Restaurants and eateries will be allowed to operate round the clock with no restrictions on their business hours.

The announcement was made by the Prime Minister himself, who said the Government had taken heed of public feedback and deci­ded against curbing the existing operating hours.

“Those who own businesses that open 24 hours will receive their rezeki (good fortune) from the business. If we restrict the hours, it will cause inconvenience to many people,” Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak told reporters after distributing bubur lambuk outside Masjid Jamek in Kampung Baru here yesterday.

On the suggested move by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim, Najib said it was just a proposal by a minister and it was up to the Government to decide.

“A note and proposal paper will be submitted to the Deputy Prime Minister and National Social Council,” said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim

“It is not a blanket ban on all restaurants or eateries but those in specific areas such as in housing and rural areas.”

“This leeway of allowing eateries to be opened 24-hours has contributed to social ills. There are concerns that the young spend too much idle time in such places and get involved in unhealthy activities,” Shahidan added.

Besides being favourite haunts for foreign immigrants, he said such eateries also attracted rats and were noisy.

The user @signtel had asked Asyraf to clarify what sort of social problems he was referring to, and the effect that decision would have on late-night shift workers who require food at irregular hours.

Asyraf has yet to explain his argument that such outlets could be the cause of social problems.

themalaymailonline.com

“In fact, we are providing people with a safe and healthy place to have a social life, instead of them going to pubs or bars,” Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Operators Association president Noorul Hassan Saul Hameed said.

He said eateries that opened late allowed students who studied through the night and adults working odd hours a place to have their meals. To add it also made the surrounding areas safer.

Learning and development executive Keith Chiang said social ills were caused by people and not businesses.

“So, if you want to stop having people loitering around, penalise the people, not the business.”

International trade operations specialist N. Karthik Raja said the proposal would make it difficult for people who worked odd hours.

“I work according to United States and United Kingdom time and most of the time I eat out. If there are no restaurants after midnight, it will be difficult for people like me,” he said.

malaysiandigest.com