DBKK MONITORS OVER 1,000 RAMADAN BAZAAR STALLS TO ENSURE HAWKERS COMPLY WITH ALL ASPECTS

KOTA KINABALU, March 4 -- Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) is constantly monitoring more than 1,000 Ramadan bazaar stalls under DBKK’s supervision to ensure traders comply with the regulations set, particularly those involving hygiene, food safety and price control.

Kota Kinabalu mayor Datuk Seri Dr Sabin Samitah said this is to ensure traders maintain food hygiene, including preparation methods, sealing of sales materials and the use of food handlers.

"In terms of health, we will see whether the food is properly sealed, the way it is prepared and the clothes of those who cook it.

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"We will also monitor so that no traders set prices too high or sell inappropriate food," he said when met by the media after visiting the Lintasan Deasoka Ramadan bazaar site here today.

He said so far the public's response to the Ramadan bazaar has been very encouraging and has indirectly helped boost the city's economy as well as providing income opportunities for small traders.

Commenting on waste management, he said traders were required to throw their garbage into bins provided by DBKK while some traders chose to take their own garbage home.

He said DBKK workers would also collect the garbage but for used cooking oil, traders had to store it in special containers before taking it home instead of throwing it into the drain.

"In terms of waste segregation, DBKK segregates materials such as glass, plastic and paper but a more flexible approach is practised in certain bazaar areas, but traders are still asked to separate the materials to facilitate the collection process and avoid contamination from wet food waste," he said.

He said that so far DBKK did not have complete data on the amount of daily waste collected, but initial feedback from traders showed that their businesses were well received by visitors.

-- BERNAMA