We Malaysians simply love our food at all times of the day and nothing hits better than some nasi kandar or roti canai at midnight or in the early hours of the day.

But, in order to curb the high levels of obesity in the country, a Malaysian NGO is urging the government to abolish the 24-hour operating licence given to eateries to reduce the negative effects of late-night meals.

In a statement released by the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP), its president Mohideen Abdul Kader said, “Studies have shown that there are negative effects of late-night meals such as weight gain, sleep disorders, and digestive issues.”

He further stated that CAP has been calling on the government to prohibit eateries from operating for 24 hours for years as limiting access to late-night eating will be healthier for Malaysians.

CAP said that this is because Malaysians are in an unhealthy situation as we have the highest prevalence of obesity among adults in Southeast Asia. “According to the 2019 National Health and Morbidity Survey, 50.1% of our adult population were reported to be overweight (30.4%) or obese (19.7%).”

“Even though shortening eateries' operating hours would not completely solve the obesity issue in Malaysia, it would help reduce late-night eating among Malaysians. This, in turn, has the potential to foster healthier eating habits and promote better sleeping habits.”

He concluded the statement by urging the government to mandate that all eateries close early for the health of Malaysians.

Malaysians strongly disagree

The statement made waves on social media with netizens chiming in the comments section to share why they strongly disagreed with CAP’s statement.

Netizens took to the comments section to remind CAP that 24-hour eateries are a necessity, especially for those who work late or odd hours, such as our essential public service workers.

“Think about us who work night shifts. Health care workers, lorry drivers, police officers, etc. Those who have comorbid should have self-constraint and realisation of their health status and limit themselves instead,” said a user.

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Meanwhile, other users said that the NGO is focusing on the wrong means to solve Malaysia’s obesity problem and that whatever it may be, the consuming public should have the right to eat whatever time it may be.

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Where do you stand on this issue? Would banning 24-hour eateries help curb obesity levels in Malaysia?

Featured Image Credit: Sinar Harian, Malay Mail