Eateries raided for placing greens and alcoholic beverages in same fridge

PETALING JAYA: A restaurant and a coffee shop in Kuala Terengganu have been raided by the state’s Health Department for placing alcoholic beverages and greens in the same refrigerator.
Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages in the refrigerators were confiscated from Hai Feng coffee shop and Hong Yun Seafood Restaurant at Jalan Kota Lama in the raids on Tuesday.
The operators were told that they would be charged in court on Nov 13. The operators face a maximum fine of RM5,000.
Xiao Zhi Yong, Kuala Terengganu MCA complaint unit chief, said Kuala Terengganu MCA secretary Du Shen Zheng and he paid a visit to state health department after receiving complaints from the operators.
The enforcement officers cited Food Act 1983 in their action against Hai Feng coffee shop and Hong Yun Seafood Restaurant as Section 361 of the act states that alcoholic beverages and other food and drinks are not to be placed on the same display rack or share the same refrigerator.
“Apart from coffee shop, all business outlets selling alcoholic drinks including mini markets or sundry shops are not allowed to place alcoholic beverages and other drinks in the same refrigerator,” Xiao said.
He advised restaurants and coffee shop operators to abide by the regulation by separating alcoholic drinks and soft drinks and food to avoid receiving summons.
Hong Yun Seafood Restaurant operator Lin Yu Lan, 57, had complained that she had managed the restaurant for 34 years and it was her first time being raided by authorities. She said she did not understand why a non-halal restaurant faced action for placing vegetables and alcoholic beverages in the same refrigerator.
“State health authorities inspected the restaurant three to four months ago,” Lin was quoted by Sin Chew Daily as saying.
“They have verbally warned us not to place the alcoholic beverages and other beverages in the same refrigerator. So we separated alcoholic drinks from non-alcoholic drinks. But they still claimed that we violated regulations by placing the alcoholic drinks, vegetables and fruits together. We did not know of such regulation.
“Officers also confiscated can drinks and alcoholic beverages in the refrigerator, we incur huge losses.”
The Hai Feng coffee shop operator admitted that she received verbal warning from state health officers before, requesting her to separate alcoholic beverages from other drinks. She said she forgot about the matter as she was too busy until officers raided the coffee shop.