Aznan (fourth from left) hands the Certificate of Recognition at the MBPJ’s Food Premises and Clean Toilets Award Ceremony, to a restaurateur while (from left) Mahzura, councillor Nalina Nair and Enforcement Department director Mohd Fauzi Maarop, look on.
PETALING Jaya City Council (MBPJ) is intensifying enforcement following an almost 70% increase in restaurant closures due to inadequate cleanliness and poor hygiene standards across the city.
Petaling Jaya deputy mayor Aznan Hassan reported that between Jan 1 and Nov 30 this year, the council’s Health Department has issued 230 closure orders to restaurant owners found in breach of cleanliness and hygiene regulations.
This marked a substantial rise from the 136 closure orders issued last year.
“We are certainly seeing an increase in such closures of eateries due to cleanliness and hygiene issues,” Aznan said.
He said enforcement action followed inspections that uncovered serious health violations, including the presence of rat droppings, cockroaches and poor sanitation in washroom facilities.
For every infraction, he said the council’s Health Department issued a RM250 compound to the affected premises.
They were mandated to close for two weeks to complete a thorough clean-up.
This order included necessary repairs, such as fixing leaking toilet cisterns and replacing broken tiles in food preparation areas, he said in his speech at MBPJ’s Food Premises and Clean Toilets Award ceremony at a hotel in Petaling Jaya.
Aznan also highlighted the particular public health risk posed by dirty toilets.
He said poor hygiene increased the risk of spreading bacteria and waterborne diseases such as typhoid, if patrons failed to sanitise their hands before consuming food.
Aznan added that while risks of transmission were generally low as visits were for a short time, people should take hygiene seriously to protect themselves and others.
“MBPJ carries out spot checks on restaurants including kitchens and public toilets.
“In the event of any issues, our health inspectors will inform the outlet’s owner or manager on the lapses observed and follow-up enforcement action would be carried out,” he said.
At the event, Health Department deputy director Mahzura Mohd Amin said as of Nov 30, they have issued 334 compound fines to food handlers who failed to get the compulsory typhoid vaccination.
In comparison, they had issued 374 compounds last year for the same offence.
However, she confirmed that there were no cases of typhoid recorded in Petaling Jaya for 2024 or 2025.
Under the Food Handlers By-law 1979, typhoid vaccination is compulsory every three years for those handling food.
During the ceremony, 58 local eateries were honoured for achieving exemplary standards of hygiene and cleanliness, including 15 premises specifically recognised for maintaining high-quality public washrooms.
