KUALA LUMPUR – The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) has asserted that enough health-related evidence has been brought forth to warrant its call to abolish 24-hour licences for eateries and restaurants.
Although welcoming the Health Ministry’s decision to consult with stakeholders, CAP president Mohideen Abdul Kader said its decision should be focused on protecting the public’s health and avoiding late-night binges – which cause health complications.
“Abolishing 24-hour licenses does not mean closing down restaurants and eateries. We are calling for them to regulate their operating hours to avoid late-night eating,” he said in a statement.
“Studies have shown that having a heavy meal late at night will affect our circadian rhythm, which also regulates our sleep and hunger hormones, making it very hard to sleep afterwards as our system is still digesting food.”
He cited a study by Harvard Medical School, which found that eating later significantly affects hunger levels, calorie burning, and fat storage. This is on top of previous reports stating that late eating is associated with increased obesity, body fat, and impaired weight loss.
At the same time, Mohideen also rubbished claims that operating 24-hour food outlets creates job opportunities in the nation, as most employers opt for foreign labour.
“The argument that 24-hour food outlets create jobs for Malaysians is a red herring to confuse the issue.
“Most of them employ cheap foreign labour, which together with the construction and manufacturing industries adopting such practices, has a depressing effect on our workers’ wage levels,” it said, adding this was the reason for human capital flight.
Noting that obesity impacts a large section of the Malaysian population, Mohideen said the nation’s annual direct healthcare costs from diabetes amount to RM4.4 billion. This is equivalent to 227% higher than cancer (RM1.3 billion) and 11% above cardiovascular diseases (RM3.9 billion).
Although shortening eateries’ operating hours would not curb non-communicable diseases in Malaysia, Mohideen said it would considerably reduce late-night eating habits and improve Malaysians’ health statuses.
On Monday, Mohideen urged the government to ban 24-hour eateries, citing obesity caused by late-night meal consumption.
Subsequently, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad said the suggestion could become a measure to combat obesity in Malaysia, but it must be refined and consider workers with unconventional schedules who depend on such eateries.
CAP’s suggestion drew flak from various quarters, including Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng, who said the ban will adversely affect jobs and revenue generated by the food and beverage industry, while ruining Malaysia’s reputation as a food haven. – April 26, 2024