Containers for Alcohol Sold in Residential Areas

Mr Zaqy Mohamad asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs whether the Ministry will consider allowing alcohol sold in residential areas to be contained in only plastic or tin containers as a safety measure in the event of unruly behaviour or fights in the neighbourhood.

The Second Minister for Home Affairs (Mr S Iswaran)(for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs): Madam, we adopt a calibrated approach towards liquor licensing according to the public order situation in a locality. In general, liquor licences issued in both residential and non-residential areas carry similar basic licensing conditions.

However, where there are law and order concerns in a particular area or neighbourhood, the licensing authority may decide not to grant licences or, in some cases, impose special conditions such as disallowing glass bottles.

The Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) Bill which was read for the first time in Parliament on 19 January will empower the licensing authority to take even more calibrated measures to actively manage law and order concerns arising from liquor consumption in neighbourhoods.

Can I ask the Minister a supplementary question? This is not a new concept in the sense that in the UK as well as in a few other places, they do regulate the use of glass bottles especially, and it is not just about riots or safety concerns but also about nuisance like people breaking the glass bottles in parks and neighbourhoods. I do have a lot of complaints from residents of glass bottles being used and these are often sold in nearby marts. Could we just restrict this to the marts in those areas near neighbourhoods, and could they, for example, sell liquor in plastic bottles or tin cans?

Madam, I thank the Member for his supplementary quetstion. In general, the licensing conditions can be modified to take into account the points that the Member has made. For example, in licensing for particular events, this has already been the practice where they impose certain conditions – whether to use plastic containers or others. The

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Police have also, for example, as reported in the media, worked on some ideas of using tin cans and so on, in the Tekka Market area. So, I think this is part of the process.

We have to just remember that the countervailing consideration is that it does have a bearing on the experience of the patrons and also the business considerations. We have to find a balance. But where the local conditions and situations demand a review, in order to impose certain conditions like these, we will certainly look into that. And I think the new legislation that is being proposed will enhance the range of levers that are available to the licensing authority in order to take more measured and calibrated steps to address some of these disamenities that the Member refers to.