Penang council shuts down popular briyani restaurant in George Town over cleanliness issues
GEORGE TOWN, Feb 26 — Four shops, including a popular briyani restaurant on Chulia Street, were ordered to close by the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) today after rat and cockroach droppings were found in their premises.
MBPP licensing officers, led by environmental health officer M. Bavani, raided the three restaurants and a grocery store in George Town today.
“Today is the fourth operation for this year and we have to order for all four premises we checked today to be closed as we found cockroach and rat droppings and a rat carcass in the premises,” she told reporters after the operation that started around 10am.
This is not the first time the briyani restaurant on Chulia Street was ordered to close by the authorities.
The Health Department had also ordered the restaurant to be closed during several other operations over the last few years.
However, Bavani said MBPP had ordered the restaurant to be shut down for 14 days to comply with cleanliness requirements as advised, especially regarding pest control against rats and cockroaches.
She said the shut-down order was in accordance with MBPP bylaws under Section 38 (1) of the Food Establishment Act By-laws 1991.
She added that three compounds were also issued to the operators of the eateries and sundry shop for cross contamination, in which raw ingredients and cooked food were placed together, and food handlers were not vaccinated with anti-typhoid vaccine.
“This is our fourth operation this year and we have checked a total 17 premises including today,” she said.
She said since January, a total 12 premises have been ordered to shut down due to failure to comply with cleanliness requirements with regards to pest control.
She added that a total 11 compounds totalling RM1,300 were also issued for various offences under the Food Establishment Act Bylaws 1991.
“We will continue to conduct checks on eateries and sundry shops to ensure the operators maintain a high level of cleanliness,” she said.
She added that this regular operation by MBPP also served to create awareness among the public to only frequent clean eateries.
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