TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Viral video lands Raj's Banana Leaf restaurant in the soup

Journalists, camera and video crew as well as onlookers were curious to see what action would be taken against the restaurant, after a 30-second video showing staff members squatting at the back of the restaurant, scrubbing and rinsing plates in what appears to be a puddle of water in a pothole went viral on Tuesday.

Bavani M. (The Star/Asia News Network)
Fri, June 1, 2018

Share This Article

Change Size

Viral video lands Raj's Banana Leaf restaurant in the soup Raj's Banana Leaf restaurant (www.facebook.com/RAJSBANANALEAF//File)

A

small crowd gathered at the junction of Jalan Telawi in Bangsar, where Raj’s Banana Leaf restaurant is located, Wednesday to witness officers from Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), the Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya Health Department and the Labour Department conduct inspections on hygiene and cleanliness.

There was a slight congestion on the main road as traffic slowed to witness the commotion.

Motorists were seen stopping to take pictures and video of the scene.

Journalists, camera and video crew as well as onlookers were curious to see what action would be taken against the restaurant, after a 30-second video showing staff members squatting at the back of the restaurant, scrubbing and rinsing plates in what appears to be a puddle of water in a pothole went viral on Tuesday.

Among those who showed up was Bangsar Baru Residents Association (BBRA) president Datuk George Joseph who said the restaurant was not clean.

“They also use a nearby house to store vegetables and cut chicken,” George claimed.

When asked to point out the house, George, however, declined to comment further.

Another resident who identified himself as G. Yong said in the evenings, the entire walkway in front of the restaurant was obstructed by tables and chairs put there by the restaurant.

“That is an obstruction offence,” Yong said.

Read also: Four-meter snake found in West Jakarta restaurant

A technician working nearby, Raj Kumar, said the video was an eye-opener.

“I eat here all the time and when you see things (video) like that, you feel sick. I am never eating here again,’’ he said.

DBKL enforcement officers, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there were many cases of similar hygiene infringements in the city.

There have been times when enforcement on an outlet was about to be carried out or a closure notice issued but they had been stopped from taking further action.

“It happens all the time," the officer said, adding that the restaurant would not stay closed for long.

Meanwhile, a closure notice was pasted outside the restaurant pending an investigation by the authorities.

Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya Health Department deputy director Sazali Harun said he did not accept the supervisor’s answer that the dishes were washed by newly recruited staff members.

“It is unacceptable. You do not need training for common sense,’’ he said.

“They are just making excuses,’’ Sazali added. The video, which was published on Tuesday, has garnered more than 270,000 views and 6,800 shares so far.

Netizens have slammed the restaurant, with many expressing disgust and disbelief over the video.


This article appeared on The Star newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
 

{

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.