KOTA KINABALU, March 28 (Bernama) -- The Sabah Health Department (JKNS) has issued 21 notices to food sellers and handlers in the Ops Ramadan 2023 which began yesterday.

Its director Datuk Dr Rose Nani Mudin said the notices were issued for offences like not wearing an apron, keeping long fingernails, not possessing a food handling certificate and not being vaccinated against typhoid.

“We will conduct further investigations after a notice is issued under Section 32B of the Food Act 1983 and will give them a warning or impose a RM100 compound for each offence if they are found guilty.

“In the Ops Ramadan 2023 conducted in five districts, Kota Kinabalu, Papar, Tawau, Kudat and Sandakan, 277 premises were checked and four food samples collected,” she told reporters after leading the operation at Bazar Lintasan Deasoka here today.

“Food sellers need to prioritise cleanliness of their premises and food hygiene, apart from preparing balanced food for visitors. The public is advised to patronise clean premises serving healthy food,” she said.

Dr Rose Nani said JKNS officers also took the opportunity to introduce the use of the QR code at Ramadan bazaars for people to lodge complaints on the handling of food.

Complaints can also be channelled via the Sabah Healthline WhatsApp at 019-8602929 and the Health Ministry’s Public Complaints Management System website at https://moh.spab.gov.my/eApps/system/index.do.

-- BERNAMA