CAP’s “Abolish 24-Hour Eateries” Suggestion Not Sitting Well With Many

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Malaysians are divided over the Consumers Association of Penang’s (CAP) suggestion for the government to repeal the 24-hour operating license for restaurants.

CAP president Mohideen Abdul Kader said this is because studies have shown that there are negative effects of late-night meals such as weight gain, sleep disorders and digestive issues.

Once this statement made headlines, social media users did not waste time in making their voices heard.

Many remarked that 24-hour eateries are not the problem but the people and their lifestyle are what causes obesity.

One netizen pointed out that these eateries serve as a meeting point for people to get together and “lepak” with their friends to unwind.

Another raised the issue of shift workers and how 24-hour eateries allow them to eat at odd hours.

Others said that weight loss starts from eating habits and it boils down to the amount of calorie intake throughout the day.

Meanwhile, some commented that there are other licences that the government needed to revoke such as licences to sell alcohol.

One person pointed out that rather than focusing on 24-hour restaurants, the government should focus on revoking the licence of factories that operate 24 hours.

‘Mandate midnight closure’

Mohideen, in his statement, called for the government to mandate that eateries close by midnight.

While he admitted that this will not completely solve the obesity issue in Malaysia, he said limited access to late-night eating will be healthier for Malaysians.

This, in turn, has the potential to foster healthier eating habits and promote better sleeping habits.

Mohideen Abdul Kader, CAP president

Apart from that, Mohideen said the government should make bold steps in withdrawing unhealthy foods and raising taxes on all types of sweetened food and drinks, besides coming up with incentives and a long-term plan.

“The government should be more serious in controlling the environment that encourages obesity, by mandating that all food outlets be closed by midnight rather than be allowed to operate 24 hours a day,” he said, adding that at the same time, Malaysians needed to practice a healthy lifestyle voluntarily and increase awareness to create a healthy nation.

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