KOTA Kinabalu eatery owners risk becoming RM500 poorer if they dirty the common areas around their shops or fail to adhere to City Hall’s requirements when it comes to the installation of grease traps in their kitchens.
A spokeswoman for the agency’s Environmental Health Department (EHD) said this was the maximum compound which could be imposed for such irregularities, in extreme cases, under its (Anti-Litter) By-Laws 1984 and (Food and Eating Premises) By-Laws 1966.
“The (Anti-Litter) By-Laws permit us to initiate legal action against repeat offenders,” she said.
“If found guilty in court, they will become liable to a fine for as much as RM10,000.”
She stressed that the oily discharge entering grease-traps should be removed at least twice a week, if not daily.
“Don’t hold off cleaning the traps only till it becomes absolutely necessary to do so.”
She said it was imperative that the unwanted cooking oil from commercial kitchens was dealt with responsibly.
“The unwanted blobs of fat should be removed with an ‘alat pengaut khas (special scoop)’ and placed in a closed container before being disposed of.
“Such disposal should not, by any means whatsoever, involve throwing this material into a ‘saluran air awam (public water ways).”
On top of this, eatery operators should also avoid modifying the traps and adhere to our approved specifications, according to her.
“A ‘T-joint’ should also be put in place before the outlet from these devices and they should not be connected to the drainage servicing the shops.”
The owner of a Luyang restaurant was recently penalised for violating City Hall’s (Anti-Litter) By-Laws, after EHD personnel found traces of used cooking oil in the common drain and on the five-foot way behind the premises.
This action follows feedback that the oily and soapy water from the restaurant’s sink was being emptied into the drain.
The Kolombong motorist, who caught sight of this, said the waste-water even wound up soiling the parking-lot nearby.
She provided Hotline with the pertinent details, which were forwarded to the agency.
The spokeswoman said three City Hall Health Inspectors and five staff with its Licencing Department checked on the goings-on at the restaurant, and another eatery at the commercial centre, off Jalan Angsa, shortly thereafter.
“Our Licencing peers formally instructed the restaurant operator to close the dining area on the first floor as he did not have the requisite permission to use the space in this manner,” she said.
“No infractions, involving the grease-traps, were spotted at either shop. Nevertheless, both owners were asked to step up efforts to keep their surroundings clean.”
She said a follow-up inspection would be made to determine if these individuals complied with the agency’s instructions.
“Further action will be taken against them, if we find that our advice has fallen on deaf ears.”
