SANDAKAN: The Health Office here will inspect 249 Ramadan bazaar stalls and over 500 premises owners and food handlers in the district throughout the Ramadan month under “Op Bazaar Ramadan” which started on March 12.
Its officer, Dr Mohamad Faiz Gahamat, said that as of yesterday, a total of 11 notices were issued for various offences under the Food Hygiene Regulations 2009 and the Food Act 1983.
“Of the 11 notices issued, five were related to the premises owners themselves, four related to food handling and two related to food hygiene,“ he told reporters here today.
He said that about 30 health enforcement officers are involved in monitoring the operation and described the level of awareness about cleanliness at each bazaar as satisfactory.
“Although no reports of food poisoning have been received, we cannot be complacent and will continue our monitoring from time to time. We are not just carrying out enforcement, we also want to promote health education,“ he said.
He said they are also collaborating with the Sandakan Municipal Council to provide training or briefings to food handlers, including traders at the Ramadan bazaars, besides assisting those involved in obtaining health inspections, licences and typhoid jabs. -Bernama
