Putrajaya should engage with the rakyat for their opinion before deciding whether to bar eateries from operating after midnight in order to curb social ills, Law Minister Nancy Shukri says.

"A government should always be proactive in engaging the rakyat," Nancy tweeted today.

"The views of the rakyat should never be sidelined even if it's in opposition to our personal stance," she said.

Failure to do so, she said, would risk the government being perceived as irrelevant and archaic for not engaging with the people for their views.

"A self-righteous attitude won't allow us to put ourselves in their shoes.

"How can we empathise if we're blinded to their concerns?" said Nancy, who is the MP for Batang Sadong.

The suggestion on operating hours was brought by her colleague, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Shahidan Kassim, which has been widely criticised by netizens and eatery operators.

“We take note that many developed countries have set certain rules with regard to night activities, such as those aged 18 and below are forbidden from being out of their homes after 11pm.

“Eateries, meanwhile, are only allowed to operate until midnight, for instance. There is also no compromise on entertainment outlets that exceed the set operating hours, or action will be taken," Shahidan said.

The issue was raised by Umno Senator Asyraf Wajdi in the Dewan Negara yesterday.

"I raised in Parliament today the need for the government to review its policy allowing restaurants to operate 24 hours in order to curb social problems," Asyraf, who is deputy chief of the Umno Religious Bureau, said.

"Right and wrong will be determined once we create that mutual platform for discourse to flourish. Let's pursue that together," Nancy said.