Press Statement By Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng In Komtar, George Town On 17.1.2014 Dr Afif Bahardin Will Write To The Federal Government Opposing The Hardhearted Privatisation Of Hygiene Of Hawkers By The Health Ministry That Will Impose Additional Financial Burdens Which Benefit The Few At The Expense Of Many. The Penang state government is extremely concerned about the hardhearted privatisation of hygienic standards of hawkers in Malaysia by the Health Ministry that will only impose additional costs to low-income hawkers, already reeling badly from rising prices imposed by the BN Federal government. Hawkers in Penang are rushing to register themselves for a food-handling course for fear of being fined or jailed after the January 23 deadline to obtain a certificate. Hawkers are liable to a maximum fine of RM 10,000 or a maximum jail term of two years, or both imposed by the Health Ministry health officers, if the hawkers fail to obtain the certificate on time under the 2009 Food Hygiene Regulations.The Health Ministry allows 6 companies in Penang to impose a charge of RM 50 for a simple food-handling course, which both the Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang (MPPP) and Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai(MPSP) conducts free of charge. Why can’t the Health Ministry conduct these courses free of charge or accept a nominal payment instead of allowing private companies to make money from low-income groups like hawkers? Hawkers upset at the RM50 charges are asking whether this is privatisation or piratisation. The Health Ministry has endorsed six training schools to run the courses: Pearl Garden Enterprise; Pusat Latihan dan Perundingan Wasin; Sihat Utama Enterprise; CSL Training and Consultancy; SQC Management (Pg) Sdn Bhd and Institusi Pengendali Makanan Ilham. The state government supports any efforts to improve food safety and hygienic standards. There should be no compromise on health enforcement with more than 10,000 cases of food poisoning cases reported last year. However, reducing food poisoning incidents should not be exploited as a pretext to allow some private companies to earn money. The price hikes by BN have caused hawkers in Penang to pay for higher prices in sugar, petrol, TNB power tariffs, highway tolls and now the RM 50 food-handling course. In contrast the Penang state government did not impose any increase in quit rent, assessment charges, business licenses and conducts free of charge the food handling course. For this reason, the EXCO meeting on 15.1.2014 decided that the State EXCO member for Health Dr Afif Bahardin will be writing to the Federal government opposing the hardhearted privatisation of hygiene of hawkers by the Health Ministry that will impose additional financial burdens which benefit the few at the expense of many. LIM GUAN ENG ================================ 槟城州首席部长林冠英于2014年1月17日在乔治市光大发表的文告 行政议员阿菲夫医生将会去信联邦政府反对卫生部冷酷无情地将小贩卫生管理私营化，这项让多数人损失却让少数人获利的措施将导致小贩财务负担雪上加霜。 槟城州政府非常关注卫生部冷酷无情的将小贩卫生管理私营化，这将让原本已经因为国阵联邦政府让物价上涨而深受其害的低收入小贩在成本上雪上加霜。槟城的小贩皆赶着在1月23日之前登记报名食物处理课程以获得证书，避免被罚款或坐牢。 如果小贩在时限内无法获得课程证书，在2009年食物卫生法规下，小贩将会被罚款最高1万令吉或坐牢最高2年刑期或两者兼施。卫生部在槟城允许6家公司向小贩收取50令吉的简单食物处理程序课程费，但这些课程无论是在槟岛市政局或威省市政局都是免费开课。 为何卫生部不能免费开课或只收取象征式的收费，但却允许私人公司向低收入群如小贩赚取盈利？小贩们对于需要缴付50令吉而感到苦恼，质问这到底是私营化还是强盗所为。卫生部赞成的槟城6家执行该课程的训练学校如下：Pearl Garden Enterprise; Pusat Latihan dan Perundingan Wasin; Sihat Utama Enterprise; CSL Training and Consultancy; SQC Management (Pg) Sdn Bhd 及 Institusi Pengendali Makanan Ilham. 州政府支持任何能让食物安全卫生有所改善的措举，因为单单去年全国就有1万宗食物中毒案件，因此卫生执法刻不容缓。然而，减少食物中毒事件不应该成为一些私人公司牟利的途径。 国阵让物价上涨已经导致槟城小贩必须付更高的糖费、汽油费、电费及大道过路费，如今还需要缴付50令吉的食物处理程序课程费。相反的槟城政府并没有提高地税、门牌税、商业执照费，而且提供免费的食物卫生处理课程。有鉴于此，槟城州行政议员2014年1月15日议决，专责卫生委员会的州行政议员阿菲夫医生将会去信联邦政府反对卫生部冷酷无情地将小贩卫生管理私营化，这项让多数人损失，却让少数人获利的措施将导致小贩财务负担雪上加霜。 林冠英
Posted on: Fri, 17 Jan 2014 05:20:18 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015