DAP questions reopening of eatery a day after closure notice
KUCHING: State Democratic Action Party ( DAP) is demanding an explanation on why a fast food restaurant here, which was issued with a two-week closure notice on Wednesday, has been allowed to operate in just a day after the notice took effect.
Special assistant to DAP Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen, Dr Kelvin Yii, questioned if there were elements of abuse of power in such a case.
The Health Ministry ordered the two-week closure notice for the said premises, effective Wednesday ( Dec 13), due to hygiene issues.
The notice was issued under Section 11 of Food Act 1983. However, the fast food restaurant opened for business as usual at 1pm on Thursday ( Dec 14).
“SUPP (Sarawak United People’s Party)’s ( Youth chief ) Tan Kai was photographed at a meeting with the restaurant owner and the authorities. Tan Kai is also a political secretary to the chief minister.
“In what capacity was Tan Kai acting (then), being present at the meeting between the owner of the premises and officers from the Health Ministry?
“In haste to reopen the business one day after the notice (took effect), what has the owner of the premises done to rectify his premises that it has satisfied the criteria required by the Health Ministry?” Dr Yii raised these questions during a press conference at DAP Sarawak headquarters here yesterday.
He believed that the community is very concerned about this case, especially with the said fast food eatery being a family restaurant where many customers are children, who may be more susceptible to diseases spread by pests.
As such, he stressed that Tan and the authorities owe the public an explanation on ‘ the special treatment’ accorded to this particular fast food restaurant ‘when Tan Kai is involved’.
Dr Yii believed that if the owner or occupier of the fast food restaurant had failed to comply with the order, he or she would have committed an offence that is liable to a fine or an imprisonment of not exceeding five years, or both, upon conviction.
He said while DAP Sarawak supports the rights of businesses to run as well as the welfare of their workers, the standards and guidelines set by the authorities must be adhered to, particularly in this case which involves the health and safety of the public.
“Since it could open after only one day, would that send a wrong message to business owners that they could just decide to do the necessary cleaning only after being caught?
“There seems to be no form of penalty for not following the required guidelines.”
Dr Yii said there had been business owners who were slapped with similar closure notices, but none was allowed to operate a day after the notice was issued.