THE majority of chicken meat sellers at the public markets on Penang island have agreed to use chillers to store meat before it is sold to customers.
This was conveyed by Penang Island City Council (MBPP) mayor Datuk Yew Tung Seang during a press conference held after council’s full board meeting at City Hall today.
According to Yew, a total of 114 chicken meat sellers out of 177, have agreed to follow MBPP’s instruction on using chillers.
“In order to prevent the meat from getting contaminated, it is important for us to keep them in a chiller.
“This is because, according to health experts, poultry meat left more than two hours are exposed to the risk of bacteria formation.
“So, to encourage the chicken meat sellers to set up chillers at their respective premises, MBPP would be giving subsidy in the form of rental or licence fee deduction up to RM1,000.
“They (chicken meat sellers) will be given a time frame of one month to instal the chillers, that is by March 31,” added Yew.
Apar from that, Yew said the construction of the chicken distribution centre in Batu Lancang has been successfully completed and would begin its operation from March onwards.
“The chicken distribution centre in Batu Lancang is one of the alternative centres for the chicken meat sellers on the island to get their supply of fresh chicken meat.
“In the whole of Penang, we have a total of 12 slaughterhouses with halal certification, so chicken meat sellers can also get their supply of fresh chicken meat from these places,” said Yew while adding that the chicken distribution centre in Batu Lancang is halal-certified.
It was reported earlier that the slaughtering activities of chickens at public markets in Penang would be halted from October.
Meanwhile, Yew said a total of 1148 MBPP frontliners, including the councillors, would be taking part in the vaccination programme.
“The vaccination programme for our frontliners will take place most probably next month, and will be done according to state Health Department’s schedule.
“Definitely, I am willing to be vaccinated first and will be waiting for the cue from JKN to do so,” said Yew.
On another matter, Yew said the MBPP has appointed an independent checker to examine the Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) report for developers in the Penang island, effective from January 2021.
“The independent checker who is appointed cannot be taking up any development project that comes under the administration of MBPP,” Yew said.
Story by Tanushalini Moroter
Pix by Chan Kok Kuan