Story by Amanda Khong
THE Penang Island City Council (MBPP) and State Health Department made a “sudden visit” to a sauce factory on April 8 at Jalan C.Y.Choy after receiving numerous complaints from nearby residents of smoke emanating from the factory.
This sauce factory produces home-made sauces such as soy sauce, sour plum sauce, and various vinegars by cooking it on fire instead of gas for the aroma of the sauce.
The raid which was led by MBPP councillor Ong Ah Teong together with councillors D.R.Kala and Goh Choon Keong was to check the cleanliness of the factory as well as find the source of the smoke problem.
“We have been receiving numerous complaints from the nearby residents about smoke from burning wood as early as 6am. This resulted in breathing problems for some residents,” said Ong.
The sauce factory was issued a RM100 compound by MBPP and was also told by the health department to cease operations for two weeks.
During this period, the management is to make the necessary changes before MBPP and the department return for another visit to check if the factory is suitable to resume operations.
The department ordered the temporary closure for cleanliness violations while MBPP’s reason was that the factory did not have a proper chimney for the smoke to be released.
Ong also advised the owner to change from the current method of burning wood to using gas to get rid of the smoke problem
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