BY BAVANI M
DBKL officers taking food samples from Ramadan bazaar stalls in Jalan Masjid India, Kuala Lumpur. — Photos: BRIAN MOH/The Star
SEVERAL traders at the Ramadan bazaar in Jalan Masjid India, Kuala Lumpur, were ticked off by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) for not following the standard operating procedure in food handling.
Licensing and Petty Traders Management director Datuk Ibrahim Yusof was seen telling off the errant traders when he spotted a few of them not wearing the required plastic gloves when serving food to customers.
He was heard reprimanding, “Remember there is no second chance if you are found to be selling contaminated food, so be careful.”
Ibrahim was with officers from DBKL Health and Environment Department, who were taking food samples to be sent to the department’s food quality laboratory for microbiological analysis.
Samples, placed into little plastic bags, were tagged and labelled.
“The traders do not realise the risk they are taking.
“Apart from the maximum RM2,000 fine (under the 1979 Food Handling by-law), they will be blacklisted for good,” Ibrahim told StarMetro.
Since the enforcement programme was launched last week, areas that had been checked include Jalan Masjid India, Bangsar, Kepong, Segambut and Cheras.
The food samples taken will be sent for lab analysis to check for contamination.
DBKL Health and Environment Department director Dr Hayati Abdullah said sample collection started this week and samples were sent to the lab to be tested.
“From qualitative tests for microbiological contamination, we have now advanced to quantitative analysis.
“We expanded the programme to include spreading awareness by giving talks on proper food handling methods to hawkers at the bazaars,” she said.
She emphasised that traders should be aware of the risks involved if they were to be found selling contaminated food.
“Those found to be selling contaminated food will be fined and blacklisted from getting a licence or participating in future balloting process for Ramadan bazaars.
“This will be a lifelong ban, so they should realise the severity of the consequences,” she added.
Food handlers food must get TY2 anti-typhoid vaccination, use plastic gloves, wear an apron and ensure that cleanliness is maintained.
Last year, 346 out of 1,005 (34.4%) food samples tested were found to be contaminated and 43 compound notices issued.
Twelve violation notices were also issued at 74 bazaar sites last year.
Sanitary inspection under the programme that started on June 6 will be conducted until the end of Ramadan.
