Proposed liquor curbs in Little India, Geylang ‘could hit businesses hard’
A poster with information about illegal alcohol consumption hours seen along Kerbau Road. TODAY file photo
SINGAPORE — Facing the prospect of stricter regulations that could mirror those currently in place in Little India, businesses selling alcohol in Geylang were aghast over the likelihood of the neighbourhood being designated a Liquor Control Zone, under proposed laws tabled in Parliament yesterday.
The Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association (LISHA) warned that, while only a few businesses in the area have closed down since temporary measures kicked in last year, more might eventually meet their demise, with Little India also likely to be declared a control zone.
The Ministry of Home Affairs said yesterday that Geylang and Little India could be designated Liquor Control Zones — where there is significant risk of public disorder associated with excessive consumption of liquor — based on the police’s operational assessment.
Restrictions could be “substantially similar” to those in place currently in Little India under the Public Order (Additional Temporary Measures) Act. Public consumption of alcohol is not allowed on weekends, public holidays and the eve of public holidays at Little India — where a riot broke out after a bus accident in December 2013 — and take-away sales are not allowed from 8pm to 6am on weekends, public holidays and the eve of public holidays.
At these zones, the police may ban a person from entering for up to 30 days if he is suspected of committing certain liquor-related offences such as public drunkenness. Liquor-related offences committed in these zones could also result in penalties of 1.5 times those in non-designated areas.
The Bill states that the Minister of Home Affairs, in designating Liquor Control Zones, may consider factors including incidents of crime in or near the area — whether or not these incidents are related to liquor consumption — as well as the fact that violence has occurred in the area and managing it as a Liquor Control Zone is likely to prevent or reduce violence there.
During the Committee of Inquiry hearings on the Little India riot held last year, then-Commissioner of Police Ng Joo Hee said the authorities were more concerned about Geylang than Little India, calling it a hot spot for crimes such as illegal gambling and drug dealing. There were 49 public order incidents — cases of serious hurt, rioting and affray — in 2013, compared with 25 in Little India (excluding the Dec 8 riot).
Shopkeepers along Geylang Road told TODAY that their businesses would be affected badly as liquor made up a major portion of their revenue.
“If we lose alcohol sales, it will be very bad for our business because they make up 40 per cent our income,” said Ms Doreen Tan of Ba Fang Trading, adding that the shop saw the highest number of customers buying alcohol during weekend nights.
Other business owners and regulars in the area saw no reason for tighter restrictions, saying there were no incidences of violent behaviour due to alcohol consumption.
“Apart from some noise at night and during the weekends, it is quite peaceful here. No fights or anything,” said Mr Tay Beng Heng, 45, who trains with a lion dance troupe headquartered at Lorong 27, Geylang Road, daily.
Mr Victor Chong, 70, a regular patron at beer gardens there, described the tighter restrictions as unfair. “People just come here to drink and have some fun, no reason to impose tighter rules,” he said.
LISHA chairman Rajakumar Chandra said following the introduction of stricter regulations in Little India, 70 per cent of shops that retail alcohol there had switched to selling more dry goods and vegetables to stay afloat, while three shops have closed. “The same thing will happen to shops in Geylang. I hope the Government considers more leniency in the regulations,” he said.
