TUARAN: A restaurant owner was fined RM1,500 in default two months' jail by the magistrate's court here today for non-compliance with the Food Hygiene regulations.
Dayang Zatul Itri Abdul Majid, 35, had committed the offence by allowing an employee to work at her food premise without being vaccinated against typhoid on Nov 4, last year at 9.30am in Jalan Padang Tuaran.
She pleaded guilty before magistrate Jessica Ombou Kakayun.
The offence falls under Regulation 11(1)(b) of the Food Hygiene Regulations 2009 and is punishable under Regulation 11(2) of the same Regulations.
The punishment provides a fine not exceeding RM10,000 or imprisonment of up to two years, upon conviction.
Under the regulation, a proprietor, owner, or occupier of food premises shall not employ or allow any food handler to work in his food premises unless the food handler has undergone food handlers training and has been medically examined and vaccinated by a registered medical practitioner as required under regulations 30 and 31 of the Food Hygiene Regulations 2009.
During mitigation, the unrepresented accused requested a lower fine as she has no fixed income.
She said her food business had been closed since December last year, and she needed to support her family.
In reply, prosecuting officer from the State Health Department, John Raynold Anak Achon pressed for an appropriate sentence as a lesson to the accused.
John highlighted that based on the inspection, the enforcement team found that the owner and her employee had received typhoid vaccine on April 30, 2019 and it was valid for three years.
They required revaccination before April 29, 2022, but failed to do so.
He said that food handlers must be aware of their vital role as frontliners against typhoid to ensure safe and clean food for everyone.
John added that the offence was compoundable, but the accused failed to pay the compound despite an extension period was given until Dec 20, 2022 which prompted the case to be brought to the court.
The accused paid the fine.