PETALING JAYA: There needs to be a collaborative effort between businesses, the public and local authorities to resolve issues with rats, pigeons and crows, say stakeholders.
Malaysian Indian Restaurant Owners Association vice-president C. Krishnan said part of the problem, especially with rats, was due to the drainage system.
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“The drainage system must be well-maintained. We can call pest control or acquire services to catch the rats, but there is only so much we can do on our end.”
He added that there were “external elements” beyond their control like roro-bins that attracted rats, crows and pigeons.
He said he had also observed some people feeding pigeons or stray animals out of kindness, but this would cause another problem.
Restaurant owners, Krishnan said, were responsible for the cleanliness of their premises but due consideration from the public as well as local authorities was needed in efforts to solve the pest crisis.
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Malaysia Budget and Business Hotel Association president Dr Sri Ganesh Michiel said he had not received complaints from members about bird droppings affecting hotel hygiene.
However, he said there had been occasional grumblings from hotel guests about their parked vehicles being covered in bird droppings.
“As hotel operators, we hope local governments and city councils will pay attention.
“If pigeon droppings pose health risks, the Health Ministry, in collaboration with local governments, should promote the prohibition of bird-feeding among the public,” he added.
He said some tourist attractions in Kuala Lumpur have become less appealing due to the large presence of pigeons.
Public health expert Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar said that droppings from crows, pigeons and rats were acidic.
This could erode metal structures such as gutters, bricks and vehicles.
“When it comes to rats, they are carriers of organisms that can cause food-borne diseases such as leptospirosis and salmonella.”
Birds could also be carriers of certain diseases like psittacosis and histoplasmosis, he added.
To a question, Dr Zainal Ariffin said control measures were a must, especially integrated pest control by local authorities.
He added that the public should also play their role by stopping the practice of indiscriminately discarding food waste, among others.“There needs to be a concerted effort to have a clean environment, especially near homes and most importantly, food premises,” he said.
“So, there must be community-level efforts, then only the local authorities can follow suit.”
Last month, the Hulu Selangor Municipal Council shot 2,449 crows via a programme conducted by the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Department.
The operation was carried out around Bukit Beruntung, Bukit Sentosa, Batang Kali, Serendah, Rasa and Kuala Kubu Baru.
