Rojak stallholder to face charges

[SwineHunter]

Apr 26, 2010
Rojak stallholder to face charges

<!-- by line --> By Maria Almenoar
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Mr Sheik Allaudin Mohideen, 70, will face three charges: selling food unfit for human consumption at his stall, failing to keep his chopping board clean and failing to keep his fridge tray clean. -- ST PHOTO: MUGILAN RAJASEGERAN

<!-- story content : start --> THE man at the centre of the Indian rojak food poisoning case will be charged in court on May 11, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) on Monday. Mr Sheik Allaudin Mohideen, 70, will face three charges: selling food unfit for human consumption at his stall, failing to keep his chopping board clean and failing to keep his fridge tray clean.

Two women died while 150 others became seriously ill after eating from the former stallholder's stall at the Geylang Serai Temporary Market in April last year. No further court action will be taken up against his assistants. However, they can only resume as food handlers after they pass a Basic Food Hygiene Course.

 

[Tadakatsu Honda]

Indian rojak seller fined $9K


May 11, 2010
Indian rojak seller fined $9K

<!-- by line --> By Elena Chong and Khushwant Singh
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Former Indian rojak seller Sheik Allaudin Mohideen was given the maximum fines totalling $9,000 on Tuesday for selling food unfit to eat, and having an unclean chopping board and refrigerator tray. --ST PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG

FORMER Indian rojak seller Sheik Allaudin Mohideen was given the maximum fines totalling $9,000 on Tuesday for selling food unfit to eat, and having an unclean chopping board and refrigerator tray. The 70-year-old's acts caused a massive food poisoning in April last year in one of Singapore's worst incidences in recent years. Of the 154 people afflicted with food poisoning after eating the rojak from his stall at the former Geylang Serai temporary food centre, two died. Forty-eight were hospitalised while the rest received outpatient treatment.

Sheik Allaudin had admitted to failing to ensure that the refrigerator tray and chopping board at his stall were kept clean on April 4 last year. He also pleaded guilty to selling Indian rojak which was not fit for human consumption that day. National Environment Agency senior prosecutor Abdullah Ghani had pressed for the maximum fines to be imposed to remind all food handlers on the importance of strictly observing good food-handling practices and keeping high food hygiene standards always.

He said the history given by all 154 cases showed a strong and consistent association between the food poisoning outbreak and the Geylang Serai stall. Officers who went to the stall immediately after the outbreak found that the premises were dirty and infested by cockroaches. Sheik Allaudin said he had been in great financial difficulty and had not been able to operate his stall for about a year. His wife is now the licensee of the new stall at the Geylang Serai Food Centre.

 

[Tadakatsu Honda]

Food seller banned for life


May 12, 2010

SINGAPORE'S WORST FOOD POISONING CASE
Food seller banned for life

<!-- by line --> By Mavis Toh
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Outside the court, a visibly relieved Sheik Allaudin had told reporters that all he wanted, after the episode, was a new NEA licence so he can start over. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

<!-- story content : start --> FORMER rojak seller Sheik Allaudin Mohideen, who was fined $9,000 on Tuesday for unhygienic practices that led to a food poisoning outbreak last year, has now been permanently barred from operating a food business by the National Environment Agency (NEA). On Tuesday, outside the court, a visibly relieved Sheik Allaudin had told reporters that all he wanted, after the episode, was a new NEA licence so he can start over. He said: 'The food business is the only work I know and it all depends on the NEA if I can return to work in a kitchen.'

But in a statement issued on Wednesday night, NEA said it has decided to bar the Indian-rojak seller after taking into account the severity of the incident which led to two deaths and 154 taken ill. The ban, which took immediate effect, means that besides not being able to apply for a hawker/food shop licence, the 70-year-old will also not be allowed to help out at as a food handler at the new stall licensed under his wife's name. When contacted on Wednesday, Sheikh Allaudin was clearly agitated and refused to comment on the ban. His son Mr Allayuthen, 33, told The Straits Times that his father was not happy with the agency's decision.

Read the full report in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.

 

[Tadakatsu Honda]

No new licence for rojak seller


May 13, 2010

FOOD POISONING CASE
No new licence for rojak seller
NEA decides on life ban after taking into account severity of incident, which killed two

<!-- by line --> By Mavis Toh

<!-- story content : start -->

FORMER rojak seller Sheik Allaudin Mohideen, who was fined $9,000 on Tuesday for unhygienic practices that led to a food poisoning outbreak last year, has now been permanently barred from operating a food business by the National Environment Agency (NEA). On Tuesday, outside the court, a visibly relieved Sheik Allaudin had told reporters that all he wanted, after the episode, was a new NEA licence so he could start over. He had said: 'The food business is the only work I know, and it all depends on the NEA if I can return to work in a kitchen.'

But in a statement issued last night, the NEA said it has decided to bar the Indian rojak seller after taking into account the severity of the incident, which led to two deaths and 154 other customers falling ill. The ban, which took immediate effect, means that besides not being able to apply for a hawker/food shop licence, the 70-year-old will not be allowed to help out as a food handler at the new stall licensed under his wife's name. When contacted yesterday, Sheik Allaudin refused to comment on the ban.

Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.
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