THE Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital’s reasons for not renewing the contracts of three stalls operating outside its canteen are based on hygiene and are not due to bias.

State medical health director Datuk Dr Ahmad Razin Datuk Ahmad Mahir said the hospital had decided against renewing the contracts for the stalls, which expired last July 31, as their operators did not keep the area clean while also marring the landscaping.

“They were also selling all sorts of other foods not stipulated in their contracts.

“In fact, the hospital had originally intended to stop their business operations in 2009 but extended their tenure by another 20 months.

“It was done out of respect for state Health Committee chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon, who appealed on their behalf,” Dr Ahmad Razin told reporters during a press conference on Tuesday.

It was reported that two of the stall operators had lodged complaints against the hospital for refusing to renew their contracts when its new canteen was set up.

They had told the media that there were no Chinese or Indian stall operators at the canteen.

Businessman Ahmad Khusaimi Mohd Hashim, who had successfully bid for a two-year contract to operate the canteen through an open tender, said such claims of bias were untrue.

“I had offered one of them, Yong Sin Seng, the opportunity to run the Chinese food stall, but he rejected the offer.

“He said the monthly rent of RM3,000 was too high,” said Ahmad Khusaimi, who has leased five out of the ten stalls to others.

Dr Mah said he had done his best when Yong approached him for help in the past.

“Right now, I see it as a conflict of business interest.

“I will leave it up to the hospital to decide,” he said.

-The Star-