By TK Chua

I refer to a news item where workers at a banana leaf restaurant were caught in a video washing their dishes in a puddle of murky water by the roadside. I understand the management of this restaurant has since apologised.

I would like to use this incident to send a message to the new Pakatan Harapan government. It is about time the authorities get tough on all the filthy, unhygienic and unsightly practices in the country.

It is about time we stop being so magnanimous in accepting apologies from people who are irresponsible. How about we compel the restaurant to shut down for a month or so to contemplate and learn from this? Business cannot continue as usual.

If we get workers from countries with no hygiene standards, at least the employers must spend a day or two to train and teach them the proper way to handle food and utensils. It is totally unacceptable to blame the debacle on the ignorance of foreign workers.

It is simple: if no one had taken the trouble to take the video, would the restaurant concerned be bothered with its unhealthy practices? Would the restaurant take the trouble to train its workers? I doubt it. I think this is the embodiment of a lackadaisical and irresponsible attitude.

For too long, we have let filthy restaurants thrive. For too long, we have let them get away with all their unhealthy and unhygienic practices.

It is time to get tough. I believe we have sufficient bylaws and regulations to compel institutions to comply with cleanliness and hygiene standards. The culprit is the lack of relentless checking and enforcement.

We have a new government now, so how about we make public health, hygiene and cleanliness one of our priorities? Over to you, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, our new minister of health, and Zuraida Kamaruddin, the new minister of urban wellbeing, housing and local government.

TK Chua is an FMT reader.

The views expressed by the writer are not necessarily those of FMT.

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