Penang orders five filthy eateries to close

GEORGE TOWN: Filthy kitchens, with blood dripping from meat into drinks and rats and cockroaches found in the food preparation area, resulted in the closure of five food outlets in Penang today.
State Health Department deputy director (food safety and quality) Ku Nafishah Ku Ariffin said three of the food premises were located in Bayan Baru and one each in Batu Kawan and Bukit Mertajam.
"The operators, caught for the first time, were given 14 days to clean up their premises under Section 11 of the Food Act 1983 before being examined again in six months' time," she told reporters today.
She said the department inspected 65 premises, six of them in the Northeast District, Southwest District (25), Seberang Prai Utara (four), Seberang Prai Tengah (23), and Seberang Prai Selatan (seven).
Ku Nafishah said most of the operators were found to have left the responsibility of running the premises to foreign workers without close supervision, causing hygiene and food preparations to be compromised.
She said the department also issued 30 compounds amounting to RM2,480 to food outlet operators for not providing oil traps in the kitchen and unsatisfactory waste management.
Those with complaints about dirty food premises or spoiled food can call 04-2017277 or 04-2017278. – Bernama