Closure order for café at Sibu Airport following ‘rat report’

SIBU: A food and beverage (F&B) outlet at Sibu Airport is now being closed temporarily, following a Chinese daily’s article that reported the sighting of a rat at the premises.

An airport spokesperson, in responding to the article, said personnel from Ministry of Health (MoH) office here had inspected the premises on Thursday.

“Subsequently, a meeting was convened with both the Sibu Airport management and the café owner.

“As a precautionary measure, the café would be temporarily closed to allow the pest control contractor to conduct sanitisation works on the premises and place traps at the strategic and appropriate spots.

“In addition, the café employees have been instructed to a•end a ‘Food Handling Course’ scheduled for Feb 23 (yesterday),” said the spokesperson, adding that the café could only resume operations a“er the MoH’s confirmation that all the necessary measures had been completed satisfactorily.

“As part of ongoing efforts to prevent recurrence, Sibu Airport management will intensify routine inspections on all F&B outlets.

“These proactive measures underscore our commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of all patrons and maintaining the highest standards of hygiene and sanitation.”

Meanwhile, the divisional Health Office, in a statement, said its team went to inspect the premises yesterday, but they saw that the operator had voluntarily closed the café for clean-up.

“We will monitor again once it opens. So far, the restaurant’s cleanliness has been exemplary.

“Additionally, the Health Office has wri•en to the airport management, calling upon them to step up pest control activities within areas of the airport.”

Late Wednesday, Sibu Rural District Council (SRDC) deputy chairman Wong Ching Yong appealed to Sibu Airport to enforce very stringent pest control to safeguard the health of the public.

He pointed out that this meant to keep out pests such as rats, cockroaches and flies in the whole Sibu airport, and not only at the restaurant.

Wong made this call following a complaint by a traveller, who had spo•ed a rat running about in a restaurant in Sibu Airport.

The photo of the rat at the restaurant, taken by the traveller and forwarded to Wong.