GEORGE TOWN, Feb 21 — A famous nasi kandar restaurant in Jalan Gudwara, here denies that it had been ordered to close by the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) for being dirty, as reported by a newspaper today.
Deens Maju Nasi Kandar Restaurant manager Mohamed Ismail Mohamed said the restaurant had only been compounded RM50 in an operation conducted by the Local Authority (PBT) and not as reported by the newspaper which viraled on the social media.
“In the operation conducted by the MBPP Environmental Health Department yesterday, we were only compounded and not directed to close for being dirty but a report published in the newspaper said our restaurant was ordered closed (14 days). In fact, since the restaurant opened in 2012, it has never been ordered to close and given an A Grade all these while, namely, 88 per cent clean.
“The inaccurate reporting by the newspaper has affected our business, We are normally always full but it is suddenly quiet today because of the false news.It has indeed dropped more than 50 per cent. In fact, a delivery company also cancelled its booking from our restaurant due to the news. There itself, we have incurred a loss of RM2,000,’’ he told a media conference here today.
Also present were Malaysian Islamic Restaurant Owners Association deputy president Datuk Kadhar Shah Abd Razak and Line Clear Nasi Kandar Restaurant director Abdul Kader Jainul Abdin.
Mohamed Ismail said he hoped the newspaper would make a correction and the MBPP should also provide the correct information to the media to prevent such incidents from happening again in the future.
Meanwhile, Abdul Kader said the Line Clear Nasi Kandar Restaurant on Penang Road was also affected as the newspaper also reported that the restaurant was ordered closed because it was dirty when their premises were not involved in the operation at all yesterday.
“I find it weird because suddenly there was nobody at our restaurant today. At the same time, I was shocked when I received a message through WhatsApp which claimed that our restaurant had been ordered closed because it was dirty during a MBPP operation yesterday whilst our premises were not involved in the operation,’’ he said.
Mohd Khadar Shah said such incidents should not have taken place as they not only affected the businesses of the members of the association but also the nasi kandar industry in Penang which was the focus of the public including tourists.
“The newspaper seemed to be trying to sabotage the livelihood of the nasi kandar entrepreneurs. In fact, the reports gave the impression that if our restaurants are dirty and ordered closed,’’ he said.
Yesterday, Bernama reported that a well-known nasi kandar restaurant on Jalan Gurdwara, here, was issued two compounds for placing raw cooking materials on the floor and due to the existence of cross contamination to cooked food. — Bernama
