CATCH a rat and you will get RM2 from Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK).
Mayor Datuk Seri Dr Sabin Samitah said this is part of DBKK's rat extermination campaign, which will end on July 31.
The campaign is part of a nationwide initiative involving 10 local authorities organised by the Housing and Local Government Ministry.
It aims to eliminate rat infestations in the identified areas, particularly public markets, and also to highlight health risks posed by rats.
Sabin said that in 2023, a total of 1,299 rats were exterminated in the city, while 775 were culled between January and June last year.
This year to date, 528 rats have been caught, he said at the campaign's launch on Wednesday (June 25).
Sabin said 187 rats have been caught at the Kota Kinabalu Central Market alone so far this year, up from 111 in the first half of last year.
"This campaign aligns with DBKK's vision of turning Kota Kinabalu into a liveable, safe, clean and healthy living space for all,” he added.
Other activities during the campaign include communal clean-ups at the Central Market and the implementation of various rat control measures.
Sabin urged traders to register as Smart City Friends at a designated counter to strengthen cooperation between DBKK and the business community in keeping the Central Market and the city clean.
He also warned of health risks posed by rats, particularly leptospirosis, a disease that can be transmitted to humans through water contaminated with rat urine.
He urged all citizens to cooperate with DBKK on the campaign and urged the public to dispose of waste properly, keep stall areas clean and report signs of rodent activity.
Those wishing to collect the bounty may bring the rodents, dead or alive, to DBKK's office.
