SINGAPORE: A food stall at Kim San Leng Food Centre in Bishan will be suspended for two weeks due to a rat infestation, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said on its website on Friday (Oct 20).
The stall was given six demerit points for failing to keep its premises free of rats, and another six points for failing to register an assistant. It was fined S$800 for the offences.
Under NEA's Points Demerit System, a licensee who accumulates 12 or more demerit points in a 12-month period may have his licence suspended for a period of two or four weeks, or cancelled. All employees who handle food would also have to attend and pass the Basic Food Hygiene Course again.
The suspension of stall number 9 at Bishan's Kim San Leng Food Centre will start on Saturday and end on Nov 3.
This is the third time this year that the popular food centre has been involved in hygiene issues.
In July, another stall at the same food centre was fined and had its licence suspended for two weeks over a cockroach infestation, among other violations.
In January, operations at the entire food centre were suspended for a day after it failed to keep its premises free from rats.
The food centre had accumulated 12 demerit points for rat infestations and another four demerit points for failing to throw rubbish in a bin lined with a plastic bag, all within a 12-month period.
"NEA takes a serious view of these offences and would like to remind food operators to observe good food and personal hygiene practices at all times and to engage only registered food handlers," said the agency.
"NEA will not hesitate to take firm action against anyone found to be in violation of the Environmental Public Health Act," it added.
Read more at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news...n-leng-food-centre-suspended-over-rat-9328566
