KLANG: The cafeteria in Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital (HTAR) here, which was ordered to close on Friday, resumed operations at 10pm on the same day following approval from the Health Ministry.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said checks by Selangor Health Department found the level of hygiene to be satisfactory and the cafeteria complied with the stipulated conditions.
“The inspection was a proactive action taken by the department following a viral video showing a rat in a cafeteria, although we still cannot ascertain the exact location and time the video was recorded.
“The ministry takes the issue of food hygiene and safety at all canteens, restaurants and food stalls seriously.
“Pests and unhygienic environment can lead to infectious and vector-borne diseases such as leptospirosis, food poisoning and typhoid,” he said in a statement.
On Friday, district health office ordered the temporary closure of a canteen at HTAR following a viral video clip of a rat casually biting a piece of cabbage from a buffet food counter.
The move, however, was only taken as a proactive measure, as authorities had yet to identify where and when exactly the 32-second video clip was recorded.
Dr Noor Hisham said pest control work was one of the scopes of work under the Planned Preventive Maintenance (PPM) in the Hospital Support Services privatisation programme.
The appointed concessionaire would carry out pest and rodent control works via routine inspection and PPM, such as by setting up baits or rat traps or removal of breeding grounds, he said.
“Failing to do so, will result in deductions in fee for non-compliance.”
Dr Noor Hisham stressed that canteen operators should maintain cleanliness and carry out pest control activities at point of source.
The ministry, he said through its Food Safety and Quality Division had inspected 635,439 food premises nationwide from year 2012 to 2016.
“Of that, 15,731 food premises were ordered to close down under Section 11 of the Food Act 1983 due to unhygienic environment and the presence of rats.
“Beside that, 24,266 compounds were issued against food operators who failed to comply with the food hygiene requirements.”
Dr Noor Hisham said action would be taken against food outlets that did not comply with the requirements such as closure notice under Section 11 of the Food Act and compounds issued under the Food Hygiene Regulations 2009.
For those who wish to report on a unhygienic food premises, they can contact the respective state health departments or visit http://moh.spab.gov.my or www.facebook.com/bkkmhq.