KOTA BHARU — The Kelantan State Health Department has ordered 72 food premises to shut down temporarily this year after inspections revealed they did not meet the required hygiene standards.
State Health Director Datuk Dr Mohd Azman Yacob said the premises were issued 14-day closure orders under Section 11 of the Food Act 1983 following statewide enforcement operations carried out to monitor food safety compliance.
Machang recorded the highest number of affected premises with 13 outlets, followed by Bachok and Kota Bharu with nine each.
He stressed that strict action is necessary to reduce health risks and prevent outbreaks of food and water-borne diseases.
Owners who defy the closure directive or continue to neglect hygiene obligations may face heavy penalties including imprisonment or fines.
Overall, 6,957 premises were inspected, covering restaurants, hawker outlets, factories and festive bazaars. Seventy percent were rated Grade A, 26 percent Grade B and four percent Grade C.
Despite encouraging statistics, Dr Mohd Azman noted that inspections only covered about 60 percent of total premises statewide, meaning continuous monitoring remains essential.
A total of 2,813 notices with fines exceeding RM519,000 were issued under the Food Hygiene Regulations 2009, while another 79 notices amounting to RM46,600 were issued under the Food Regulations 1985.
He said operators who failed inspections were also guided to implement corrective actions to improve their premises.
The State Health Department reiterated that food operators must maintain cleanliness at all times as part of their responsibility to protect customers and public health.