Protecting Minds and Generations: Upholding the Ban on Alcohol in Educational Institutions

31 October 2025

KOTA KINABALU: Recent reports of alcoholic beverages being served during events held on school premises have raised public concern.

Although organisers have argued that such gatherings took place after school hours and did not involve students, the symbolism of serving alcohol within an educational compound remains deeply troubling.

Schools are institutions of learning, discipline and moral development, not venues for activities that contradict these principles.

According to Associate Professor Dr Abdul Rahman Ramdzan, Public Health Medicine Specialist from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), educational institutions must remain neutral spaces, free from the promotion or normalisation of behaviours that could compromise the physical, mental and moral well-being of young people.

“The Ministry of Education’s Circular No. 3 of 2018 explicitly prohibits accepting sponsorships or conducting programmes involving gambling, tobacco, drugs or alcoholic beverages.

“These guidelines are designed to ensure that schools remain safe, healthy environments conducive to holistic development,” he said in a statement today.

From a public health perspective, Dr Abdul Rahman noted that alcohol is among the most harmful yet socially accepted substances worldwide.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than three million deaths annually are linked to alcohol use, contributing to liver disease, cancer, mental health disorders and social harms such as domestic violence and road accidents.

“When schools permit or tolerate alcohol-related events on their premises, it indirectly signals that such substances are socially acceptable, undermining decades of public health education and awareness efforts,” he added.

From an ethical and moral standpoint, prohibiting alcohol aligns with the Islamic principle of maqasid syariah, which emphasises the protection of intellect (hifz al-‘aql) and progeny (hifz al-nasl).

“Alcohol impairs judgement, weakens self-control and erodes the moral fabric of individuals and communities. Safeguarding the sanctity of schools from such influences is therefore a moral and social responsibility, beyond cultural or administrative interpretation,” he explained.

Legally, Malaysia’s Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985 already impose strict controls on the sale of alcohol, including a minimum age limit of 21 years and mandatory health warning signage.

“These laws reflect the government’s recognition of the significant health and social risks posed by alcohol and the need for stronger preventive measures to protect minors,” said Dr Abdul Rahman.

He emphasised that upholding the ban on alcohol within educational institutions is not an attempt to restrict cultural expression or impose religious values, but rather an effort to foster a healthy, disciplined and respectful society.

“Protecting schools from the influence of alcohol is, ultimately, about protecting the minds and futures of our children. It is an act of collective responsibility that reflects our shared aspiration for a healthier, wiser and more dignified nation,” he concluded.