Mandatory 1am clean-up? 24-hour restaurants take it easy
METRO NEWS
Thursday, 26 Jul 2018
by sheila sri priya
Clearing things up: Petaling Jaya City Council enforcement officers explaining to restaurant operators the need to close their premises from 1am to 3am in accordance with the ruling which took effect on July 1. —Photo: CHAN TAK KONG/The Star
IT IS business as usual for 24-hour restaurants in Petaling Jaya despite the ruling by the council to close their premises for cleaning from 1am to 3am.
At least four restaurants did not adhere to the ruling when Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) enforcement officers visited them during the wee hours of Wednesday morning.
It was MBPJ’s first inspection since the ruling took effect on July 1.
Enforcement officers visited the restaurants located in Section 6, Kelana Jaya, about 2am.
The first restaurant operator claimed the premises would be closed at 4am for cleaning.
image: https://www.thestar.com.my/~/media/online/2018/07/25/20/42/metd_260718_sheops240718_evelyn_main.ashx?h=422&&w=620&la=en
A restaurant operator explaining to MBPJ enforcement officers that he cleans his premises at 4am.
“We clean daily at 4am instead of 1am because it is convenient for us,” said an operator who did not want to be named.
The restaurant operator claimed the signboard to inform customers of the cleaning closure time was ready and would be displayed soon.
The second restaurant operator said there were always customers until 3am and that was why he cleaned up from 3am onwards.
The third restaurant was the only one who displayed a notice printed on a sheet of A4-sized paper to notify customers that his shop would be closed from 4am to 6am.
“We wash from the front to the back of the shop. We really do clean our shop but at 4am,” said the operator.
The fourth restaurant operator claimed he did not receive any notice from the council about closing to clean up.
However, an enforcement officer said he personally hand-delivered the letter to the premises.
image: https://www.thestar.com.my/~/media/online/2018/07/25/20/42/metd_260718_sheops240718_evelyn_spare.ashx?h=352&&w=620&la=en
Despite the council’s ruling for 24-hour restaurants in Petaling Jaya to close their premises from 1am to 3am for clean-up, some restaurants choose to clean after 3am.
After checking the pile of letters by his cash register, the operator found the letter.
The operator then claimed he would clean his premises from 2am onwards, when there were not many customers.
A council spokesman who was present during the operation said the visit was meant to remind restaurant owners of the ruling and gather feedback.
“All of them told us the 1am timing was unsuitable for them and they prefer it to be after 3am,” he said.
“We did not issue any summonses because this is a new ruling. We came to assess the situation and inform the operators to abide by the ruling.
“We also told them to put up a signboard to notify customers of the closure time.
“We will report to our department leaders about the feedback we gathered and bring this matter to the mayor’s attention,” the spokesman added.
Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Owners Association (Presma) president Ayoob Khan Muhamad Yakub told StarMetro that mayor Datuk Mohd Azizi Mohd Zain gave restaurant operators a month’s grace period to get used to the ruling.
image: https://www.thestar.com.my/~/media/online/2018/07/25/20/42/metd_260718_sheops240718_evelyn_2.ashx?h=404&&w=620&la=en
Only one of the four restaurants during MBPJ’s inspection on Wednesday displayed a notice informing customers about closure hours for cleaning purposes.
“When we visited the mayor several weeks ago, he told us that he will get input from his officers on whether the ruling was being observed.
“He said he would not issue summons during the first month. If our restaurants are clean, the mayor said he might even lift the compulsory closure timing.
“However, we feel the compulsory closure at 1am is during peak hours and this affects business,” he said.
It was earlier reported that the mayor would stick to the 1am to 3am compulsory shutdown time for restaurants to clean their premises.
This implementation was part of the council’s efforts to improve the standard of cleanliness at restaurants in the city.
StarMetro reported earlier there were suggestions to allow restaurant owners to decide on their own closure hours.
Many who were interviewed said they preferred the closure time to be after 4am.
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/metro/metro-news/2018/07/26/cleaning-up-when-it-suits-them-owners-of-24hour-restaurants-in-pj-prefer-to-close-premises-after-3am/#FlgIB8GYVz6fjxce.99
