MBSA enforcement officers seizing items from restaurants that were blocking pathways in Section 7, Shah Alam.
SHAH ALAM: There will be no compromise for restaurants that flout council laws on cleanliness, placement of tables outside premises and more this year, says Shah Alam deputy mayor Mohd Rashidi Ruslan.
He said the council planned to continue carrying out raids until restaurant operators obeyed the by-laws.
Rashidi said restaurants were flouting their licence conditions by compromising on cleanliness, setting tables on carpark lots, as well as placing tables and chairs on sidewalks.
“We will continue to seize items and issue compound notices to these restaurants until they give up and start following our rules,” he added.
According to Rashidi, MBSA would consider approving placement of tables and chairs outside the premises if it was feasible.
“We do issue permits for tables and chairs on sidewalks if it is feasible, and we control the numbers. However, most premises exceed the permissible numbers for their convenience,” he added.
Rashidi also said the council strictly prohibited restaurants from taking up parking lots with tables and chairs.
This, he said, was to avoid accidents and disturbances to road users.
Permits for additional tables placed outside cost RM30 per table including four chairs.
He added that the council’s aim was to deter accidents such as had occured in the past in the jurisdiction of other councils.
Rashidi said this after conducting raids in Section 7 Shah Alam on Friday (Feb 1) night.
Five restaurants were raided and three were closed down after they found cockroaches in the premises.
A total of 45 tables, 129 chairs placed on sidewalks without permits, as well as three cooking stalls obstructing walkways, were seized.
MBSA Section 7 area councillor Danial Al-rashid Haron Aminar Rashid said their aim was not to punish the operators.
“We want to educate them on the right way to do it. We want them to follow the law without creating a nuisance for nearby residents,” Danial added.
He said he had received complaints from residents about noisy eateries especially during football season.
Danial said the residents' complaints should be taken into consideration as well.
The raid was the fourth to be conducted in the last two weeks.
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