No drinking of alcohol from 10.30pm to 7am in public places, under proposed laws
Little India and Geylang will also be designated Liquor Control Zones and come under stricter restrictions under liquor control laws proposed in Parliament
Published: 3:07 PM, January 19, 2015
SINGAPORE — The public will not be able to purchase alcohol for take-away or consume alcohol in public places from 10.30pm to 7am daily when liquor control laws proposed in Parliament today (Jan 19) kick in.
The Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) Bill was introduced today.
The start time of 10.30pm is aligned with the closing time of most businesses in residential areas, and it is the time by which most community events including getai end, said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in a media statement. The restriction will apply to all public places to avoid displacement of problems from one area to another, the MHA said.
People will continue to be allowed to drink at home, at approved events and in licensed establishments such as bars and coffee shops outside of these hours, the MHA said.
Source: MHA
Under the proposed law, Little India and Geylang will be designated Liquor Control Zones and come under stricter restrictions on alcohol consumption and retail hours of take-away alcohol, based on the Police’s operational assessment. Such zones are areas where there is significant risk of public disorder associated with excessive drinking.
The proposed laws to apply in Little India and Geylang are largely similar to those currently in place in Little India, which were adopted by Parliament last year. Police are able to bar a person from the zone for liquor-related offences such as drunkenness in public.
The MHA said it began reviewing liquor control measures from Sept 2012 — before the Little India riot in Dec 2013 — after public feedback on law and order concerns and inconveniences caused by excessive drinking. There was strong support for the proposed measures, it said.
Liquor control zone in Little India
Liquor control zone in Geylang
Source: MHA
