24-hour restaurants not sole culprit of health woes - Presma

SHAH ALAM – The operation of 24-hour restaurants is not the main cause of health problems among Malaysians, but it is also influenced by other factors such as individuals' healthy lifestyle practices.

Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Owners Association (Presma) said that the demand from the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) should be thoroughly examined from the perspectives of health, social and cultural aspects of Malaysian society.

Its president Datuk Jawahar Ali Taib Khan said in a media statement that this matter needed to be thoroughly examined, especially involving working hours and the functions of restaurants that provide food, beverages as well as discussion or learning locations.

"Presma believes that such demands should only be implemented according to the needs, locations, and lifestyles of the people so that they can meet the needs of all parties, not just restaurant owners and related industries.

"For the record, Presma has previously urged the government to consider allowing 24-hour operations considering the business performance of its members nationwide,” he said.

Previously, CAP called on the government to eliminate 24-hour operating licenses for restaurants in order to mitigate the adverse effects of late-night dining.

Its President Mohideen Abdul Kader said that restricted access to late-night dining was not conducive to the health of Malaysians, who currently have the highest obesity rates among adults in Southeast Asia.

Presma further stated that the key to such demands was health, which stemmed from late-night dining, leading to problems such as obesity and others.

The association stressed that for several years, it had been a culture for people to consider restaurants not solely as places for dining and drinking, but also as stopover venues for socialising after work, due to the conducive and easily accessible environment.

Additionally, Presma pointed out that it was just not that, a group meetings and scientific discussions were also held at certain restaurants late at night, which are considered more suitable than during busy daytime hours with other matters.

Hence, Presma urged all parties, including NGOs and consumer activists, to be more realistic and pay more attention to the issue of openly selling alcohol, which also operates 24 hours, as it poses more risks to public safety and endangers road users, especially when on the road.

In the meantime, Presma said they welcome any perspectives and recommendations, affirming their willingness to engage in discussions at the negotiation table concerning this matter, with the aim of benefiting all parties involved.

The recent report from the National Health Screening Initiative 2023 has revealed a worrying trend in which more than half of Malaysians (53.5 per cent) are now classified as overweight or obese, with obesity rates at 22.2 per cent and overweight rates at 31.3 per cent.

Looking ahead, forecasts from the World Obesity Atlas paint a grim picture, predicting annual increases in both child (5.3 per cent) and adult (4.7 per cent) obesity rates from 2020 to 2035.

The economic implications are equally distressing. Malaysia is projected to incur over US$20.15 billion in costs related to obesity and associated health issues by 2035, accounting for a significant 2.8 perc ent of the national GDP.