What’s brewing? Cocktail of views on teenage drinking
KUCHING: There is a cocktail of views from Kuching youngsters on the government’s impending move to raise the legal drinking age from 18 to 21 as a strategy to curb underage drinking.
Putrajaya has raised the legal age for alcohol purchase from 18 to 21 to prevent purportedly immature college students from drinking. According to the national press, Malaysia’s new alcohol regulations, effective Dec 1, 2017, also includes the imposition of a health warning in Malay that ‘Consuming alcohol can be hazardous’ on the label of alcohol products.
This is to prevent underage drinking by limiting accessibility to alcohol, as more young Malaysians tend to drink and socialise.
Raising the minimum age for alcohol consumption from 18 to 21 and additional labelling requirement for alcohol products to warn about the risks of alcohol consumption, are part of the government’s strategy to tackle this high-risk group drinking issue.
“I am indifferent to the new alcohol regulations that are to be implemented. Raising the age limit may seem like a quick fix but scaring these kids by making it illegal to consume alcohol before 21 may backfire because it is human nature to want more of the things deemed to be unattainable (forbidden fruit),” said Charles Liew.
The 31-year- old lawyer and entrepreneur pointed out: “The far more superior way of dealing with various social issues that arise from the consumption of alcohol would be education. The process may be slow but it would be a more lasting change. The imposition of a health warning on the label of alcohol products is again a scare tactic that in my view may have the best of intentions, but fall short.
“Only time will tell, of course, but additional funding from the government as well as the private sector insofar as alcohol education is concerned, would be my preferred method of tackling this serious issue of alcohol among
As for me, I’m over the restricted age so I’m not worried. I have an active nightlife. On the brighter side, it’s a good thing to be implemented as our local nightlife scene has been tarnished by news of youngsters (age 17 to 21) going out on weekends and getting into fights when drinking silly. This new law might encourage responsible consumption of alcohol and reduce drama and tragedy. Fendi Zachariey
college students.”
University student Megan Soh however has a different take. “I think it is a good policy to be implemented. Teenagers have the tendency to drink and drive as being immature, they think it won’t cause much trouble,” said the 21year- old second year mechanical engineering undergrad.
She said implementing this policy will hopefully decrease the risk of road accidents as well as increase health awareness on alcohol binging. Megan said she is a social drinker and not a ‘ fulltime drinker’. She also carpools with friends so she does not have a drink-and-drive problem. To her, many ‘after- drinking problems’ can be managed and avoided.
“As for me, I’m over the restricted age so I’m not worried. I have an active nightlife. On the brighter side, it’s a good thing to be implemented as our local nightlife scene has been tarnished by news of youngsters (age 17 to 21) going out on weekends and getting into fights when drinking silly. This new law might encourage responsible consumption of alcohol and reduce drama and tragedy,” said Fendi Zachariey.
The 23-year- old accounts executive said youngsters in crime cases are illegal drinkers who are already restricted by their religion, who are not supposed to drink in the first place.
Secondary school student Jimmy Lim, 16, said he welcomed such a law as he believed this would reduce young drinking problems.
He said: “The two most common problems are accident and fights. It is difficult for youngsters to hold their liquor and get into trouble, sometimes even losing their life.”
School teacher Diana Girim, 32, supports the implementation of the new regulation as she thinks age of 18 to 20 are still too young to buy alcohol.
“Besides their age, some are still studying and using their parents’ money. It could be an unnecessary burden to their parents,” she said.
For those 21 and above, some are already working adults and more mature to handle alcohol and look after themselves, she said.