The Kedah State Health Department has issued 112 fines totaling RM14,000 following inspections at Ramadan bazaars across the state.
Major (Rtd) Mansor Zakaria, Kedah’s State Housing, Local Government and Health Committee chairman, said the enforcement operation covered 80 bazaar locations to ensure adherence to food safety regulations.
He revealed that 3% of food handlers were found without anti-typhoid vaccinations, while 10% had not completed the mandatory food handler training. “This reflects an improvement in compliance compared to last year,” Mansor noted.
In 2025, inspections showed 10% of handlers lacked anti-typhoid shots and 15% had missed training, resulting in 185 fines amounting to RM21,750.
Mansor made the remarks during the launch of the “Kedah Towards Food Poisoning-Free” programme at the Darul Aman Stadium Ramadan Bazaar.
This year, a total of 6,768 stalls are operating across 80 sites, slightly down from 7,240 stalls across 87 sites last year. Laboratory testing of 123 food samples in 2025 identified 22 samples that failed due to microbiological contamination.
“The public should practise the ‘Watch and Choose’ approach when purchasing food,” Mansor advised, adding that using the ‘Look, Smell and Taste’ method can help prevent food poisoning.
The state government has set a target to become food poisoning-free by 2030, emphasizing collaboration among traders, consumers, and enforcement agencies to achieve this goal.
