CLOSURE NOTICE: An operator (right) observes the closure order on his food outlet, with Ashton (left) and Emang present.
MIRI: Three food premises in Permyjaya, Tudan have been ordered to be closed under the Food Act 1983 by the Health Department here on Thursday.
According to the State Health Department’s Legal Affairs and Inspectorate and Enforcement Unit assistant director Samuil-Ashton Satu, the inspection by the enforcement team to the area found the three outlets far from achieving the hygienic requirements under the Food Hygiene Regulations 2009.
“Hence, they were ordered to close in the meantime to allow the proprietors to do spring cleaning,” he told thesundaypost yesterday.
The enforcement team comprising 30 officers from Miri and Marudi, led by Ashton himself, inspected all eating outlets in the city, including Permyjaya in conjunction with the routine health and cleanliness operations under the Public Health Laws.
Among the objectives were to promote health laws, rules and regulations.
It is also to convey the message to the people that the health authority takes seriously the personal hygiene of operators and cleanliness of the premises.
Thus, we would not hesitate to take stern action against the offenders, Ashton warned.
He regretted that many food premises and outlets in the city were still far below the hygiene standard required.
“The outcome of our operation shows the public at large still need to be reminded to comply with the Public Health Laws,” Ashton affirmed.
The said law, he asserted, included the Food Act 1983 and its Regulations, Destruction of Disease-Bearing Insect Act (DDBIA) 1975 and Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act (PCIDA) 1988.
In the same operation, the team also issued compounds to four shop premises under the Control of Tobacco Products Regulations (CTPR) 2004.
A private clinic, college, bakery and bus station were compounded for not displaying the `No Smoking’ signage specified under the Regulations 12(1)(a) of CTPR 2004.
The others were two retail shops found selling illicit cigarettes at prices as low as RM1.50 – RM3.50 per packet, thus contravening
the Regulations 8D of CTPR 2004.
On a separate note, Ashton disclosed that 10 persons were caught smoking at Miri Airport and Miri Hospital.
Under the DDBIA 1975, two workshops at the Piasau Industrial Estate were compounded RM500 each for allowing the aedes mosquitoes to breed there.
Meanwhile, prior to the operations, the 30 officers attended a `Public Health Laws’ course.
The two-day event organised by the State Health Department was held at Tudan Polyclinic.