GEORGE TOWN: Consumer Association of Penang (CAP) yesterday called for a tough restriction on alcohol and to impose a ‘sin tax’ similar to tobacco and cigarettes.
In a statement, CAP president SM Mohamed Idris stated that such cases had occurred since 1977 (18 deaths), 1979 (21 deaths) and 1981 (32 deaths), due to the adulteration of alcohol.
Idris also noted that the alcohol-related problem was not properly addressed despite the government’s effort to raise the minimum legal age for alcohol consumption from 18 to 21 since Dec 1 last year.
“We propose that the sin tax be imposed on alcohol the same way as was done on tobacco and cigarettes so that the tax can be used to fund health and educational programmes related to the dangers of alcohol consumption and smoking,” he said here yesterday.
He said this in response to the recent methanol poisoning incidents in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor which resulted in 19 people died and 14 others in critical condition.
Alcohol should not be sold in Perwira Niaga Malaysia (Pernama) and airports while alcohol outlets should not be permitted within a 500-metre radius around any residential sites, hospitals, educational and religious institutions, he said.
He hoped that Malaysians would learn from the Thais’ example in which they stood up to protest against the application for a stock market listing by Thailand’s biggest brewer and distiller, as well as in favour of Alcohol Beverage Control Act when it was first proposed in Thailand. — Bernama