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Roti canai and teh tarik for RM1

Wow, can you believe it? It’s only RM1 for Roti Canai and Teh Tarik… Where else can you get it? Now most store is selling almost double the amount, the price hike was set after the petrol increase last year but then after that the petrol price reduce they refuse to reduce, is that the way to do business? ah.. this will set another standard for other mamak to follow! It’s good for us, the consumers. Hurray. =)

KUALA LUMPUR: Fancy a roti canai and a teh tarik for RM1 – right in the heart of the city and in these tough economic times?

That is what you will get over at the Ukhwah Restoran Rakyat 1Malaysia in busy Lorong Medan Tuanku Satu (located next to Prescott Inn).

A piece of roti canai at the outlet costs 40 sen and a glass of teh tarik is priced at 60 sen.

Laughably cheap: The lunch crowd at the restaurant in Medan Tuanku yesterday and the price of a ‘complete breakfast’ in the foreground at left.

“I am happy as long as they do not increase the price,” said Marcus Wong, a customer who works nearby, who paid RM3 for a plate of chicken rice and RM1.50 for a can of Coke with ice.

His colleague C.K. Ng paid RM4 for a bowl of mixed tom yam soup and 80 sen for a glass of iced tea.

The restaurant, run by Koperasi Pendidikan Islam Malaysia Bhd, or known as Ukhwah, is not profit-oriented.

It is operated in the spirit of co-operatives – to serve people.

Ukhwah president Datuk Rahim Baba helps clear and clean the tables during peak hours since it opened for operations on Monday.

Only three days into operation, Rahim said mamak restaurants in the area have sent a clear message to him to “please maintain the market price of food”.

However, Rahim will not budge, because he believes food should be reasonably priced.

“I am still making money selling roti canai at 40 sen a piece. I make less compared to other restaurants,” he said.

The actual cost of making a roti canai is 20 sen, and by selling it at 40 sen, Rahim says he still makes a 100% profit.

On the teh tarik, he makes a profit of 18 sen by selling it at 60 sen a glass.

To break even, the restaurant needs RM2,000-a-day or RM45,000-a-month in sales to cover the fixed costs of the RM7,000 rental per month for the premises and the salary of the 16 staff members, who are all locals.

“Food is a basic need. I don’t believe one should pay a lot for food. Most restaurants make 200% to 300% profit from selling food,’’ he said.

The restaurant operations are also based on family concept.

“Everybody comes to work as a family, with honesty and loyalty in their mind. If I am short of staff, I can always mobilise others from the cooperatives to help out,” he said.

Ukhwah, which was set up in 1998, is also involved in property, finance, the pawn business and other sectors.

It now has more than 50,000 members and they contribute a minimum of RM10 a month and receive a 10% dividend on their contributions.

Its property holdings include bungalows, shoplots and condomiuums in Taman Titiwangsa, Denai Alam, Shah Alam, Sri Hartamas, Bandar Tun Razak, Bandar Tasik Permaisuri and KLCC.

Source : TheStar

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Murni allowed to reopen after clean-up, it sealed for two weeks but fined only RM150

Murni is back to it’s mamak business again! What do you think? Just RM150 fine? I don’t think so, maybe the reported figure is RM150 but got hidden fees? And so fast now Murni reopen again after it was slapped with a summon to be closed for 14 days because of cleanliness issue. Will you still visit Murni mamak? For me I also seldom go there already but the food is really tempting.

Restaurant allowed to reopen after clean-up

A RESTAURANT in Jalan SS2/75, Petaling Jaya, where workers were seen preparing food in an unhygienic manner, was sealed for two weeks and slapped with a fine by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ).

MBPJ Health Department officers visited the restaurant the day after the story was published in StarMetro on Sept 22. They issued an order for it to be closed for 14 days and a RM150 summons.

“The restaurant owner and the workers were ordered to clean up and upgrade the premises, and not to prepare food in the back lane and drain.

“They were also required to attend a course on food handling at the MBPJ,” said MBPJ public relations officer Zainun Zakaria.

Cleaned up: A view of the restaurant’s back lane after it was sealed for two weeks by the MBPJ for clean-up and upgrade purposes

“Our officers visited the restaurant again today (Oct 6) and found that the owners had had the premises and drain cleaned, grease trap installed, walls repainted, floor retiled and chimney replaced.

“The workers were also given Ty2 shots (inoculation against tetanus and typhoid).”

She added that the restaurant would be allow­ed to open the following day.

Source : TheStar

Dirty eatery sealed for two weeks but fined only RM150
By SAM CHEONG

THE Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) has closed dirty eateries featured in StarMetro’s Hygiene Campaign.

Kudos to the health officers and enforcement personnel who acted promptly on a case we highlighted on Sept 22.

The council fined the operator and sealed the premises in Jalan SS2/75 for two weeks.

This is a positive move by the local authority to clamp down on food outlets with deplorable hygiene standards.

Fourteen days gave adequate time for the owner of the premises and the workers to clean up their act. But the RM150 fine imposed seemed a mere slap on the wrist for the culprit.

Our photographs on Sept 22 showed workers preparing food on the lid of an ice-box which was placed over the back lane’s drain.
Irresponsible act: Bulk waste discarded along the narrow back lane behind Jalan SS2/75.

In view of the filth and poor food handling being the main issues, RM150 is too little for the damage done. If it matter was not exposed, the eatery would probably be reaping in the profits by compromising hygiene and cleanliness.

Do you think the small fine is enough to deter food outlets from carrying out such an offence? Please e-mail us and tell us you what you think.

On Oct 6, we despatched our photographer to Jalan SS2/75 to conduct a pictorial follow-up on the area.

A section of the back lane which was used for food preparation by the restaurant had been cleaned up. But, that did not deter other premises owners there from dumping their garbage indiscriminately.

It seems that cleanliness has been a perennial problem in Jalan SS2/75. The business owners there are downright dirty and irresponsible.

Our photos showed that other traders in the same area had taken the opportunity to discard their bulk waste along the narrow back lane behind Jalan SS2/75.

We urge the local authority to keep tabs on this situation and readers can do their part by calling the MBPJ at 03-7956 3544 ext 115/117 to voice their complaints. Alternatively, they can e-mail: aduan@mbpj.gov.my

* You can make a difference. Please email photos of rats, dirty eateries and your tip-off to metro@thestar.com.my

Source : TheStar

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SS2 Murni Mamak stinking side?! Too dirty?

Today few ppl told me to read this news and I was thinking it should be refer to SS2 Murni Mamak after I found out the road is “Jalan SS2/75, Petaling Jaya”. If it’s in such condition, please clean it and if not I will not ever go to the mamak again even how wonderful and how special is their food expecially those western food like spaghetti cabonara or chicken marryland and drinks especially those special fruit punch!

The condition of the cleanliness make me worried as I was one of the Murni mamak lover once upon a time. Few weeks back I just went there with my colleagues to have my lunch there as our office is near to the mamak and want to have different variety that day so decided to go Murni.

Famous Murni Loh Shee Fun! RM 5.00 (IINM) The egg is very nice but if they put for long and did not take out immediately to the customer the egg will be harden and it not taste as good.

Famous Murni Mee Raja! RM 8.00 Just like “kon lou mee”

Famous Murni Nasi Goreng Seafood RM 10.00 (IINM)

Kuih Teow Utara

Mee Java

Please fix the condition and if not for sure I will not going there in the near future. What say you?

THIS week, the focal point of our hygiene campaign is a restaurant in the SS2 commercial area in Petaling Jaya.

We received a tip-off from a reader who frequents an Indian-Muslim restaurant in the area.+

Filthy: Workers preparing food at the backlane of a restaurant in Jalan SS2/75, Petaling Jaya.

According to the reader, he was appalled to see some foreign workers preparing food by the drain at the outlet’s backlane.

“I could see cooking utensils left on the ground and bits of leftover food scattered all over the area.

“Not only that, the area where the food was being prepared was also very smelly. The men were cutting meat and vegetables on top of ice boxes and they did not seem to be bothered that their work area was close to a garbage chute,” he said.

After seeing how food was prepared at the backlane, the reader had sworn not to patronise the outlet again.

To verify his claims, we despatched our award-winning photographer Mohd Sahar Misni to capture the scene.

Our findings revealed the ugly truth in vivid colour.

Blatant disregard for cleanliness: Raw chicken placed side by side with ice (on top of a gunny sack) on top of a ice box.

The workers were oblivious to our presence in the backlane, nor did they appear uncomfortable to be seen working in such an unhygienic condition. They continued working as if no one was watching.

Apart from pest and rodent infestation in the area, public safety is now in question.

The workers have obstructed the backlane and the back doors of some of their neighbours with the heavy ice boxes. The place is obviously a fire trap.

This food outlet is by far, one of the filthiest we have ever come across. We thank our reader for pointing out the matter and will keep tabs on this with the Petaling Jaya City Council for further action.

In a seperate development, our Seremban office reported on Sept 17 that a restaurant was closed down by the state’s health department after 100 guests at a wedding dinner had fallen ill.

They ate pork contaminated with salmonella parathypi B bacteria which is a common cause of food poisoning.

The bride’s father succumbed to illness caused by consuming contaminated food several days later.

It was later discovered that six of the restaurant employees who handled the food had not been vaccinated for typhoid. Now, the question is: do we have to wait until its too late?

Prevention is the best approach and if you suspect unhygienic food preparation, do not hesitate to contact your local authority.

Source : TheStar

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