Two-week closure for eatery

A POPULAR buffet steamboat restaurant in PJS 8, Dataran Mentari has been ordered closed for two weeks by Petaling Jaya City Council’s (MBPJ) Health and Environment Department for failure to protect food from potential sources of contamination.

MBPJ public relations officer Zainun Zakaria said the immediate closure was prompted after health inspectors found “several critical violations that could contaminate the food and likely lead to food poisoning”.

“We conducted the operation based on complaints regarding the inconsiderate action of the steamboat restaurant in placing tents with tables and chairs on the road, but ended up finding ‘stomach-turning’ unhygienic practices in the kitchen,” Zainun said.

On Thursday, StarMetro had highlighted the issue of steamboat restaurants taking up designated council parking lots by placing their tables and chairs, thus causing a nuisance and putting diners at risk as cars squeezed through.

Zainun said the council had received numerous complaints about the restaurant.

“The restaurant is licensed but it is not allowed to set up tables for customers beyond the building.

“We are worried because the stoves and gas tanks placed on the road pose a high risk,” she explained.

She disclosed that the outlet was a repeat offender and the council had issued five compound notices so far in 2014.

“Our Enforcement and Safety Department had seized the tables, chairs, tents and gas tanks from the restaurant. A few months ago, the same action was taken against the operator,” she added.

MBPJ has ordered the restaurant to clean up its kitchen and an inspection will be carried out in a week.

Beautician Sarah Lim said she was not aware that the food was prepared in the back lane of the shoplot.

Some foodies in the area said MBPJ should not return the confiscated items as a deterrent to other restaurants and it would show that MBPJ meant business.

“We want the mayor Datin Paduka Alinah Ahmad to enforce the regulations with a strict hand and have the officers conduct repeat checks to ensure compliance,” said salon owner David Chew.

Councillor-in-charge of PJS 8 Halimey Abu Bakar said since the restaurant was a repeat offender and continued to flout council regulations despite earlier compound notices, the full two-week closure must be maintained.

“Continuous enforcement must be exercised in PJS 8. After the restaurant is allowed open after June 25, there must be checks carried out every fortnight to send the message that MBPJ is serious about compliance with the law,” he said.

Former councillor Derek Fernandez said the placing of tables and chairs on a public road for trading or to serve customers constituted an obstruction of a public road, and was prohibited under Section 46 (1) of the Street Drainage and Building Act 1974.

“In fact, even putting or placing any article or thing for any business on a public road is an offence. The person can be arrested without warrant and fined for the first offence up to RM500 and up to RM1.000 for subsequent offences.

“In addition, the local authority can seize the items as well as remove the obstruction and charge the cost of doing so to the wrongdoer under Section 46,” he added.