Repairman R.Ganesan showing a dCCTV wire damaged by rodents in Kampung Lindungan.

The vermin bite and damage the closed-circuit TV cameras wiring and posed a health threat to residents as well as business operators in the area.

Restaurant manager Fadli Nasrun said, the rats could be heard scurrying about on the roof in the evening.

“We have 12 CCTV cameras but half are not functioning because the rodents have damaged the wires.

“We have to constantly repair it and it is troublesome,” he said.

Fadli said sometimes the rats managed to get into the rice sacks and this worried him.

He urged the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) to organise a large-scale cleaning activity in the area.

A council worker placing a rat trap in the area.

He also blamed poor waste management, partially pointing a finger at the morning and night markets held there.

“The waste disposal here should be improved. This is a heavily populated area and when the cleanliness slacks, it will affect not just customers but also the thousands of residents in this neighbourhood,” he said.

The rodents also leave their droppings in the ceiling, posing another health concern.

Fadli said he had no plans to put out rat poison as he feared the rats could die in an out-of-the-way spot.

“It is hard to find and remove the carcass if the rat dies in a hidden-away corner. Instead, we use traps,” he said.

Fadli hoped the council would realise the severity of the issue and solve it.

MBPJ public relations officer Zainun Zakariah said the council was aware of the rodent menace in Kampung Lindungan and had set traps in the area on several occasions.

She said the council had set about 12 rat traps at a time on Aug 5, 8, 10, 11 and 12 in Jalan PJS 6/6 A.

She added that MBPJ enforcement officers would visit Kampung Lindungan on a daily basis if necessary, as it was problematic spot.