KUCHING: The increase of age limit from 18 years old to 21 years old for buying alcohol which was enforced on October 16, 2018 proved to be a positive step, said Minister for Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.
“Raising the age limit is indeed reasonable because at the age of 18, they are still considered as teenagers.
“But at the age of 21, they are adults who can make better decisions and become wiser,” she said to reporters after the closing ceremony of ‘Heal Your Inner Self’ programme at 56 Hotel here yesterday.
Fatimah explained that among the cause of social problems was not only abuse of substance but also due to excessive alcohol consumption.
“Not only causing harm, but also problems to others if consumed excessively,” she added.
She also said that parents and community plays an important role aside from government agencies to educate and prevent teenagers from consuming alcohol at an early age.
“Parents can be the first frontier that can become effective enforcers.
“While education, prevention, enforcement and rehabilitation are four important measures for alcohol addicts, it would need everyone’s cooperation to produce positive results,” stressed Fatimah.
