Publicise the names of dirty factories

Errant owners who violate the Food Hygiene Regulations of 2009 must be taught a lesson - CAP.

GEORGE TOWN: The Consumers’ Association of Penang has lauded the health authorities’ move to close down dirty food factories in Penang.

However CAP’s president SM Mohamed Idris said he wanted authorities to go a step further by publicising the names of the banned factories.

He was of the opinion that this was the only way to teach the owners a lesson for violating the Food Hygiene Regulations of 2009.

Idris also called on relevant authorities to direct the factories involved to remove their “dirty” food items from the market and retail shelves.

He said these food items also violated the Food Hygiene Regulations and could very well be tainted or contaminated.

Believing these measures would create greater effectiveness in the nation’s drive towards establishing more hygienic food factories, Idris also called on health authorities to carry similar crackdowns nationwide.

He said, “Food safety should not be taken lightly”.

“CAP feels that compounds and closures serve neither to stop errant owners from repeating their mistakes nor was an effective deterrent to others in the food industry”.

“Every year more than a thousand offences are recorded. This should not be the case anymore. We should aim for zero offences,” stressed Idris in an e-statement today.