Food Vendor in Jonker Walk in Hot Water for Fly-Infested Kitchen & Selling Day-Old Fried Baby Crabs

Source: SAYS

Imagine eating fried baby crabs, but the kitchen they’re cooked in is crawling with flies – sounds disgusting, right? Well, that’s exactly what happened at a Jonker Walk night market in Melaka, where a vendor got caught selling crabs fried the day before, all prepared in an unsanitary kitchen.

A local food vendor in Jonker Walk is facing serious trouble after authorities discovered his kitchen was in an awful condition, with flies everywhere and the place covered in grime. The popular crispy baby crabs, usually a hit with the crowd, were fried in a kitchen that smelled of old seafood, and surfaces were filthy. Even more shocking, the crabs that were meant to be fresh for sale the next day were left uncovered on the floor.

The raid, conducted by officers from the Melaka Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) and the Melaka Immigration Department (JIM), uncovered the dirty truth behind the crabs being prepared. A reporter who was present said the crabs were exposed, putting them at high risk of contamination from the flies. And to top it off, the refrigerator used for storage smelled foul.

The vendor, a man in his 30s, confessed to frying the crabs a day in advance and storing them for sale the next day. Authorities also found dozens of kilograms of pre-fried crabs stored in a covered container, ready for sale the following day. “I usually fry these baby crabs today and store them to sell tomorrow,” he told officers.

But that wasn’t all. The enforcement team also seized over 85 packets of cooking oil and bags of wheat flour that were stored improperly, violating the Supply Control Act 1961. The flour, according to the vendor, was used for his signature batter.

The vendor, reportedly from a foreign country, now faces hefty fines and other legal action for breaching health and safety regulations. He also failed to show proper permits for his cooking supplies. Authorities have warned that such unsanitary practices not only put customers’ health at risk but also damage Melaka’s reputation as a popular tourist destination.