"It is not the job of the government to do moral policing..." said Ali Salman.

Ali Salman said it is not the job of the government to do moral policing or force specific behaviour, responding to recent remarks by Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad who said Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) entertainment outlets will close at 1am starting on January 2019, in a move to enhance family time.

Khalid also added that he cannot ignore the numerous complaints from the public about noise and other disturbances.

According to FMT news portal, the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs chief executive Ali Salman said, people should be allowed to decide whether to spend time at home or at entertainment outlets, with or without their families.

However, the existing rules and regulations on operating hours for entertainment outlets should be respected and enforced.

Plus, forms of entertainment which cause harm and uneasiness to the others, such as being a nuisance to neighbourhoods or being loud, should be checked and controlled.

Other than Ali Salman, Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) president, Datuk Tan Kok Liang also warned that this enforcement could have serious repercussions on tourism and businesses in the city.

According to him, Kuala Lumpur attracted 12.29 million international tourists, ahead of world-renowned cities such as Rome, Tokyo, Istanbul, Seoul, Miami, Barcelona and Shanghai last year.

He cautioned that shortening the operating hours of entertainment outlets would lessen tourists’ experience thus it  could lead them deciding not to return to the city.

Adding to that, the situation could be further affected by the introduction of the airport departure levy beginning of January 2019.

“It should be noted that Malaysia’s tourism industry employs 3.2 million people and contributed 22.7 per cent to total employment. As such, closing entertainment outlets at 1 am sharp may create a ripple effect on our tourism industry and affect our country’s economy,” warned Tan.