Akbar 24 Hours Restaurant in Tanjong Pagar suspended 4 weeks due to cockroach infestation

Akbar 24 Hours Restaurant, a food shop at 2 Lim Teck Kim Road in Tanjong Pagar, has been temporarily suspended for four weeks from Nov. 12 to Dec. 9, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) announced.

The suspension under the Points Demerit System was the result of the licensee of the eatery accumulating 12 demerit points over a 12-month period.

Akbar 24 Hours Restaurant was fined a total of S$800 for two offences.

Both offences, which incurred six demerit points each, were the failure to keep the licensed premises free of infestation.

The two offences were related to a cockroach infestation on the premises.

In May 2023, the food shop was suspended for two weeks and fined S$1,000 after accumulating 14 demerit points within 12 months for not keeping its premises and chiller clean, as well as not registering an assistant.

Risk getting licence cancelled

SFA said that based on track records, a licensee who accumulates 12 or more demerit points during a 12-month period may have his licence suspended for a period of either two or four weeks, or cancelled.

Rehabilitative action

All food handlers working in the suspended premises would also be required to re-attend and pass the Food Safety Course Level 1, before they can resume work as food handlers.

The licensee is also required to ensure that all food hygiene officers working in the suspended premises, if any, re-attend and pass the Food Safety Course Level 3.

SFA said it takes a serious view of these offences and would like to remind food operators to observe good food and personal hygiene practices at all times, and to engage only registered food handlers.

SFA added it will not hesitate to take firm action against anyone found to be in violation of the Environmental Public Health Act.

In the interest of maintaining a high standard of food hygiene at all eating establishments, SFA is advising members of the public who come across poor hygiene practices in food establishments not to patronise such outlets and provide feedback via the online feedback form (https://www.sfa.gov.sg/feedback) or to call the SFA Contact Centre at 68052871 with details for our follow-up investigations.

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