The owner of a nasi kandar eatery has refuted claims that his restaurant reuses leftover food after a video circulated online showing an employee rinsing food in a sink.
Datuk Fadzil A Bakar clarified that the footage was misinterpreted, explaining that the washing process was carried out solely to remove excess oil and spices from food waste before it was donated to feed stray animals.
He stressed that reselling leftover food would be impossible, as such food would deteriorate quickly and produce an unmistakable stench.
Fadzil a bakar
“No matter how you try to treat it, the food would spoil rapidly, and customers would be able to detect it,” he said, adding that his restaurant has never engaged in such practices.
“We are not new to this industry. Perhaps other restaurant owners might recycle food, but we have never done such a thing.”
According to Fadzil, a volunteer who feeds stray animals has been collecting food waste from the restaurant for several years. The man had specifically requested that the scraps be washed to remove oil, which could otherwise cause skin problems among animals such as cats and birds.
Condemns viral clip
Responding to the viral video, Fadzil said he was disappointed that the individual who recorded and shared the clip failed to seek clarification from the restaurant’s management beforehand.
“If they were dissatisfied or saw something amiss, they should have met with the management first, not immediately made it viral.”
“I do not deny that my reputation has been tarnished by this event. However, the action of the person recording the video was wrong, and entering our kitchen without permission is also an offence,” he added.
The animal feeder, identified as Manikandan Krishnasamy, corroborated Fadzil’s account, confirming that he has been collecting food waste from the restaurant for years.
“I asked the owner to wash the leftover meat or scraps because if they are oily, the animals will get mange. All the restaurants I collect from, I ask them to wash it.”
Fadzil said the restaurant is cooperating fully with an investigation by the Health Ministry and has filed a police report against the individual who disseminated the video. He added that legal action has not been ruled out.
In the aftermath of the incident, authorities ordered the restaurant to shut down under Section 11 of the Food Act 1983, while compounds were also issued under the Food Hygiene Regulations 2009.
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