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Stricter liquor rules in Geylang, Little India from 1 April

Bystanders gather on the corner of a street in Little India, following a riot the day before by South Asian workers, in the worst outbreak of violence in more than 40 years in the tightly controlled city-state, on December 9, 2013

Additional restrictions for consumption of liquor in public places will be imposed in two Liquor Control Zones (LCZ) in Geylang and Little India on weekends and public holidays, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a press statement on Tuesday.

Within the LCZs, public drinking will be banned from 7am Saturday to 7am Monday from 1 April, when the Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) Act comes into effect.

On public holidays, there should be no consumption from 7pm of the eve of a public holiday to 7am of the day after the holiday.

Shops in the LCZs are also not allowed to sell retail alcohol from 7pm on weekends, eve of public holidays, and public holidays.

The new law already bans drinking in all public places and the retail sale of alcohol from 10:30pm to 7am daily.

'Even-handed' enforcement

In previous reports, the police have said they will take a calibrated and even-handed approach in enforcing the law.

This approach was explained in some detail in the MHA statement: "If a person is found consuming liquor in public places, the police will take down his particulars in the first instance and require him to dispose of the liquor. If there is public annoyance, the police can also advise the person to move on and leave the place. If he complies, no further action will be taken. If the person ignores the police’s advice, or is a recalcitrant offender, the police may consider taking stiffer actions such as issuing him with a composition fine or arresting him."