Report errant traders instead of ranting on social media
KUALA TERENGGANU: Consumers should lodge reports with the Health Department or the respective district councils regarding Ramadan bazaars selling stale food instead of only ranting their grievances on WhatsApp or Facebook and hoping for it to go viral.
State Health, Women, Family and Community Development Committee chairman Datuk Muhammad Pehimi Yusof (pic) said by lodging a report, it will allow the respective departments to act on errant traders.
“We urge consumers to immediately report to the Health Department or the respective district councils to enable us to act and punish these errant traders accordingly based on the severity of the offence committed.
“If no reports are lodged, then we are unable to take any action. We may only read about the viral messages a few days later. By that time, it is already too late for us to take any action,” he told reporters after a breaking of fast event on Tuesday.
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Muhammad Pehimi was commenting on postings by netizens who were disappointed with traders at the Kuala Berang bazaar who sold stale food.
He said the Health Department had yet to receive any complaints on the matter.
He urged the public to be the eyes and ears of the department and councils, adding that the lack of personnel meant the department could only inspect major bazaars in the state.
A frustrated Facebook user Cik Nisa said the kuih which she had bought from the Kuala Berang Ramadan bazaar had gone bad.
Another Facebook user Meq Shaa said she had diarrhoea and vomited after eating the rice bought from the bazaar while Zainab uploaded a comment that she was sold stale ketupat.
Meanwhile, a businesswoman from Kuala Berang who declined to be named said such incidents at the Kuala Berang Ramadan bazaar were nothing new.
“It actually occurs every year. There are many traders, not from Kuala Berang who do business there. We know who to go to and who to avoid. In fact, many have stopped going to these bazaars as the food are not fresh, unhygienic and expensive.
On June 7, Mentri Besar Ahmad Razif Abd Rahman warned Ramadan bazaar traders in Terengganu to keep their stalls and surroundings clean or risk having their licences revoked.
He added that errant traders who compromised on food safety and hygiene would also be blacklisted.
