THE Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has ordered two restaurants and one sundry shop in Bukit Jambul to close for 14 days after failure to comply with cleanliness standards today.
This stern measure comes following an inspection of a total of five food premises and five hawker stalls in a swift operation from 9am to noon.
Three compounds were issued for not having a valid licence from the city council and for failure to ensure food handlers had received anti-typhoid injections.
Additionally, two hawker stalls were issued notices for inappropriately leaving their appliances on the roadside.
Aside from that, appliances that were causing obstruction were confiscated from food premises and hawker stalls.
MBPP’s Department of Environmental Health and Licensing director Bawani Murugasan said that the closure of premises was executed in accordance with MBPP’s bylaws under Section 38 (1) of the Food Establishment Act Bylaws 1991. This action was taken after MBPP officers discovered rat droppings and cockroaches within the affected premises.
“Notices and compounds had been previously issued to the owners of these premises, However, their negligence has forced us to close their establishments today. We have also conducted educational enforcement,” she said.
The affected premises must now cease operations from Oct 6 to 19 to facilitate thorough cleaning activities.
Bawani emphasised that such enforcement operations will be carried out every month in different areas across Penang island to ensure the highest standards of cleanliness and food safety are maintained.
Story by Norman Sim
Pix by Law Suu Ting