Heavier penalty should be imposed on errant shop tenants

Chong (2nd left), accompanied by Penggai (left), pointing to the mess outside a restaurant, while Wong (3rd left) offers advice to two restaurant workers. Unconsumed rice was left in the grease trap (right), which should not be the case. (d9526957)

10 May 2025

KOTA  KINABALU: Errant restaurateurs, shopkeepers, and tenants of shoplots in Bandaran Berjaya should be faced with stricter penalties for causing sewage manholes to become clogged, leading to flooding in the area.

Api-Api Community Development Leader (PPM) Theresa Chong Mui Lan said this could act as a deterrent, given that earlier summonses and advice from the relevant authorities had fallen on deaf ears.

She made the suggestion after inspecting how a restaurant at Lorong Berjaya (off Jalan Padang) handled the disposal of solid and liquid waste from its kitchen on Friday.

A worker (foreground at right) clearing a clogged sewage manhole at Jalan Berjaya. In the background, Wong (right) is seen sharing information with Penggai and Chong. (9561cf7b)

"Business premises, eateries, offices and tenants occupying rental units must comply with the regulations governing proper food waste management. 

"We seek the cooperation of occupants in taking measures to prevent waste from blocking the water pipes leading to the manholes. We urge residential tenants to dispose of their rubbish in a proper way," said Chong who was accompanied by Robert Penggai, the Special Officer to Api-Api Assemblywoman Datuk Seri Christina Liew.

The duo's visit followed complaints of clogged, overflowing and stinking manholes made by Bandaran Berjaya businessmen Ting Lian Siew and Andrew Chin to Liew on Thursday.

During the visit, workers from the Department of Sewerage Service Sabah (JPP Sabah), KK District were seen clearing two clogged sewage manholes at Lorong Berjaya.

When met at the scene, Assistant Engineer Valens Victor Wong reported that his team has been unblocking the manholes since February this year whenever sewage spilled over onto the road.

"We have tried to educate business owners on the importance of proper food waste disposal. We have issued summonses, and asked errant restaurateurs to clean up the mess in the walkway outside their kitchen," he said, while explaining the purpose of getting each restaurant operator to install a grease trap (outside the kitchen) to prevent used oil from accumulating in the sewage manhole. 

Errant restaurateurs have yet to pay heed to the advice to install an additional grease trap under the sink in their kitchen to stop solid food waste from ending up in the grease trap outside the kitchen, according to Wong.