KOTA KINABALU: Ten eateries here have been slapped with a closure order by the Health Department for operating in an unhygienic environment.
District Health Office enforcement chief James Suladi said the eateries were found during an enforcement operation yesterday to have failed to comply with the standards that are required to open a food business.
The two-day operation on Thursday and Friday, which was jointly carried out with the City Hall and other departments, was aimed at ensuring eateries, such as coffee shops and restaurants, comply with food preparation standards, maintain clean equipment and premises.
The enforcement personnel inspected 53 food premises in Taman Indah Permai, UA Apartment shop lots and near Inanam bus terminal.
Ten of them have been ordered to close for 14 days under Section 11 of the Food Act 1983, he said yesterday, adding that a number of premises were found to be overrun by rodents and cockroaches, which are very dangerous for customers.
He said the operation was not aimed at penalising the eatery operators but more at educating them on the importance of serving hygienic food at all times.
Suladi therefore reminded eatery operators to comply with the Act when carrying out their business as unhealthy premises and food preparations could danger to the puble.