Dark times lay ahead for the little nightlife we already have in Singapore, with the Government of Singapore having recently proposed a new bill slated to be approved in Parliament. The Government was of course quick to draw comparisons with other countries that already has such measures in place, in a bid to soften the impact of this draconian measure.
What restrictions does this new bill put into place for a person who is looking to partake in Singapore's nightlife scene? With the exception of premises which have been licensed (meaning restaurants, bars, coffee shops and establishments which traditionally offer alcohol), drinking of alcohol beyond 10.30pm until 7am shall be an act that is punishable by a $1000 fine, or $2000 and three months of jail for repeat offenders. Simply appearing drunk in unlicensed premises within the restricted timing will net a you a $1000 fine and up to six months jail, if you have been deemed as "causing annoyance". Anywhere outside these licensed premises, you will need to apply for a permit to drink beyond 10.30pm. I can just imagine it already; people will be calling up the Ministry of Alcohol Consumption (MAC) to apply for permits which they have to bid for, à la bidding for a COE.
If you've ever been to Jiak Kim Street on a Wednesday or Saturday night, you'd understand what is at stake here. The scores of teenagers and young adults sitting on the floor in the areas surrounding Zouk, getting high on alcohol which they have acquired from the alcohol gift store at Holiday Inn would now be doing something illegal. I for one used to frequently partake in these activities and this is in my opinion what makes the experience of going Zouk a complete one; getting high and perhaps a little rowdy on alcohol while sitting in groups playing drinking games, then entering Zouk when you are high enough.
The same would apply for about any other club in Singapore. This is what makes clubbing fun. And it's easy to see why people would prefer to acquire their alcohol from anywhere but inside the club; the price of a bottle of Vodka inside the club would usually be about three times higher than buying it outside the club in my experience.
Of course, the new bill isn't prohibiting us from drinking alcohol publicly, we just have to finish up our fun at 10.30pm, absolutely brilliant. Now while this post may read like a giant rant, it is in my opinion that the shisha ban which comes into force by July 31, 2016 combined with the new Liquid Control Bill will really hurt what little vibrance Singapore has during the night. The Government has just made it harder for its citizens again to have some fun. Make no mistake, this isn't an isolated incident, rather it has been a continuation of new and non-stop measures that have been enacted to ensure that Singapore is all about work and nothing of play.
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