Six restaurants ordered to close in Kota Kinabalu due to rat and cockroach infestations

KOTA KINABALU - The Kota Kinabalu Port Health Office had ordered the closure of six restaurants due to rat and cockroach infestations.

In the operation that took place at Anjung Samudera on Thursday night, a total of 21 premises were inspected, and 10 compounds were issued for various offences involving cleanliness in the restaurant.

Kota Kinabalu Port Health Office Food Safety and Quality's assistant environmental health officer, Rozita Ibrahim, said from the inspection, the authorities found numerous faults with the premises' owners, who failed to keep their premises clean.

"This includes findings of flies, cockroaches, and rats, as well as their excrement, which were seen in the kitchen and store areas of the premises.

"There are no compromises after what we have found; we have ordered the restaurants to cease operation for 14 days, but if they are able to show improvement within two or three days, then they can open their premises earlier," she said when met by reporters after the operation.

Rozita also said the owners and workers gave various excuses to justify the unsanitary conditions.

"Among the excuses, they said they had no time to inspect the premises since they are busy, have just taken over the premises, or have only been operating for a month.

"We are aware that the excuses given are unreasonable, but nonetheless, they are bound by the law and have to make changes in order to operate," she said.

Further, Rozita said among the other offences found were restaurant workers without a food handling certificate or health inspection card and who did not get a typhoid injection.

"Some of the premises were compounded from RM500 to RM1,000, depending on the offence. Compounds are higher for those without a food handling certificate and health card, to avoid the occurrence of food-borne infectious diseases.

"We are trying to guide, not punish, these premises so they can serve safe food to their customers, especially since foreign tourists frequent the area," she said.

She also said all the offences and actions were taken under 34(1) of the Food Hygiene Regulations 2009, which is failure to ensure food premises' cleanliness, Article 31(f), which is failure to ensure food operators' cleanliness, and Article 32(1)(b), which is failure to comply with food handlers' clothing requirements.

The operation was carried out by a total of 22 members and officers, led by Kota KinabaluPort Health Office Disease Control Sector Head Dr Pathman Arumugam.