SINGAPORE - The National Environment Agency (NEA) will be taking action against the operator of a chicken rice stall at Marina Bay Sands, after it was found to be infested with cockroaches.
The stall at the foodcourt, 1983 - A Taste of Nanyang, was discovered to have a cockroach infestation upon investigation, said an NEA spokesperson on Saturday. The agency said that "enforcement action" will be taken against the stall operator, adding that it takes such lapses "seriously".
The foodcourt, which is run by Koufu, closed temporarily for cleaning after a photograph of cockroaches scurrying around one of its stalls went viral online. Netizen Kovit Ang had posted a picture on Facebook on Monday, showing a troop of five cockroaches at the foodcourt, with one of them just inches away from a piece of fried meat being sold at a stall.
The NEA has also warned the foodcourt operator to step up its pest control regime, and ensure that the premises are kept clean with proper food storage and waste management measures in place.
Under the Environment Public Health Act, those who fail to keep their licensed premises free from pest infestation can be fined up to $2,000. They can also be issued six demerit point upon conviction.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Marina Bay Sands said that the foodcourt will close until further notice, and that the tenant will increase the frequency of pest control checks to prevent such an incident from recurring.
