GEORGE TOWN: A restaurant along Jalan Penang has been ordered to close for 14 days after health authorities found cockroaches, rats, and animal droppings scattered throughout its kitchen during an inspection yesterday.
The operation, led by the Northeast district health office, also discovered a slimy, unhygienic kitchen floor and spice storage boxes infested with dozens of cockroaches.
Cockroaches were also seen crawling near the entrance of the walk-in freezer, while raw ingredients such as meat, chicken, and squid were not stored in proper containers.
Food Safety and Quality Unit operations officer M. Shashikumaran said a total of 20 violations were recorded during the inspection, including food handlers wearing rings and having long, dirty fingernails.
“Food was placed directly on the floor, and uncovered trash bins were positioned next to food preparation areas,” he said at the scene.
He added that the kitchen floor was cracked and had accumulated water, while the freezer room floor was found to be in poor condition.
Further checks revealed that some food handlers had not received mandatory typhoid vaccinations, and the food storage area was poorly organised and unhygienic.
As a result, the restaurant owner was issued three compounds totalling RM3,000 and the premises were ordered to close for 14 days under Section 11 of the Food Act 1983, effective immediately.
During the same operation, another restaurant offering Thai-style dishes was also slapped with a 14-day closure notice under the same act.
Nine violations were found, including the presence of cockroaches, resulting in two compounds amounting to RM2,000.
Meanwhile, the owner of the first restaurant said he accepted the closure order and promised to immediately clean and sanitise the kitchen.
“The last time we were ordered to close was about five years ago. We started cleaning right after receiving the notice, and we’ll do the same again today,” he said.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
