Tenggara MP Manndzri Nasib said problems such as rat infestations and dirty drains could partly stem from poor maintenance by local authorities but still result in the closure of eateries.

KUALA LUMPUR: Eatery operators should not always be the ones bearing full responsibility for hygiene violations, especially if they are partly caused by poor public infrastructure, says a backbencher.

Debating the Food (Amendment) Bill 2026, Manndzri Nasib (BN-Tenggara) said problems such as rat infestations and dirty drains could partly stem from poor maintenance by local authorities.

"Traders are not entirely to blame, so why should they alone bear the losses and have their premises shut down?" he said in the Dewan Rakyat.