Geylang bak kut teh eatery suspended same day it received heritage award

Sometimes, one may wind up receiving both good and bad news within a day, and this was the case for an eatery in Geylang. Leong Kee (Klang) Bak Kut Teh, which received an award on 3 Jan, got suspended the very same day itself for a hygiene related scandal.

Leong Kee (Klang) Bak Kut Teh is a local brand that gained recognition for its authentic Malaysian-style herbal and dry bak kut teh. Its bak kut teh is famed for its herbal soup base, crafted with medicinal herbs for a rich flavour.

It currently has 2 outlets, in Geylang and Tanjong Katong.

Patrons usually go for the Bak Kut Teh Soup (S$8.80) or Dry (S$11.80), or the Lamb Herbal Soup (S$9.80).

The brand was given The Singapore Prestige Brand Award (SPBA) in the Heritage Brands category on 3 Jan. 

SPBA is a prestigious award that recognises and honours homegrown brands that have been developed and managed effectively through branding tactics. It’s considered an important performance success milestone for most local brands looking to build their name and reputation.

That Friday became all the more fateful for Leong Kee when it was announced that they were suspended for food safety and hygiene offences in their Geylang branch.

Leong Kee accumulated a total of 12 demerit points within a period of 12 months, was fined $800 and suspended for 1 day. 6 points were assigned for failure to keep the premises infestation free, and 6 for not providing amenities like soap and toilet paper in bathrooms.

According to the Singapore Food Agency, the Points Demerit System (PDS) is a means of encouraging an improvement in food safety standards in food businesses. Demerit points are assigned based on the severity of food safety cases, even resulting in possible revocation or suspension of licenses.

SFA takes food safety offences seriously and advises members of the public to avoid patronising any establishments guilty of such practices as much as possible.

However, given Leong Kee (Klang) Bak Kut Teh’s achievements, we hope they have turned over a new leaf after the suspension.

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