We all love our food in Subang Jaya, but do you know what’s really happening behind your favourite makan spots?
With Chinese New Year just around the corner, most of us are busy shopping for lokam or driving back to our hometowns. But for a group of dedicated volunteers in SS14, the holiday prep took a backseat. They woke up early to join MBSJ MPP Zon 1 Councillor Ken Chia for Ops Basmi Tikus—a rat eradication mission.
After a quick breakfast at a shop along Jalan SS14/1, the team (together with MBSJ health officers) went to work. The bait had already been set the night before, so the morning mission was simple: find the dead rats.
The Catch? 39 Rats. The Real Horror? Everything Else.
While the team picked up 39 rats (both big and small), that number was actually “nothing to shout about.” However, what the volunteers saw next was enough to make anyone lose their appetite.
While the shop fronts looked clean, inviting, and hygienic, the back lanes told a completely different story.
A Kitchen Nightmare Behind the Scenes
Volunteers were greeted by sights and likely smells that would make your stomach turn:
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Ancient Grease: Exhaust fans were caked in so much black oil, it looked like they hadn’t been serviced since the day they were installed.
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“Curried” Drains: The drains weren’t just clogged; they were filled with thick, “curried grease” and sludge.
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Dirty Water Everywhere: Waste water from the kitchens was seen overflowing onto the road. In some cases, dirty water was just being splashed directly onto the street during washing.
Time to Crack the Whip, MBSJ!
It’s a harsh reminder that pests don’t appear out of nowhere—they thrive in filth. It is time for MBSJ to stop being lenient and strictly enforce the law on these errant eatery operators.
Residents are calling for the council to throw the book at them. No more warnings—if the hygiene isn’t up to standard, they should face the consequences. Business owners need to understand that maintaining a premise means cleaning everything, front AND back.
We deserve clean food and a clean neighbourhood, not grease-filled drains and unhygienic food preparation!
