MPAJ offers RM3 per rat in Pandan Jaya to curb infestations and raise hygiene awareness.
PETALING JAYA: The Ampang Jaya municipal council (MPAJ) has announced the opening of a “rat purchase counter” in conjunction of its MPAJ Rat Eradication Campaign 2026 (Kempen Membasmi Tikus MPAJ 2026), running until Feb 13.
In a Facebook post, the council said each captured rodent (whether dead or alive) will be paid RM3. The counter is set to operate at Pasar Pandan Jaya from 9.30am to 1pm.
MPAJ deputy president Hasrolnizam Shaari said Pandan Jaya was chosen as the first location this year due to its active commercial activities and high-density residential areas.
“Rats breed in areas like this. The public face increased risk of exposure to rat-borne diseases such as leptospirosis, as well as property damage caused by the pests,” he said during the programme’s launch at the morning market.
Hasrolnizam added that MPAJ is adopting a community-based approach through the reward scheme to raise awareness and encourage shared responsibility in tackling rodent issues.
He said 59 public areas were earmarked for rodent control last year, with a campaign in Pekan Ampang alone accounting for the removal of 101 rats.
Inspections were also carried out at 1,488 premises, leading to 329 compounds being issued for hygiene offences linked to cockroaches, flies and rats, he added. The fines imposed totalled RM23,250.
The eradication drive was backed by a RM10,000 allocation from the Housing and Local Government Ministry to support rat control efforts throughout 2025.
Seperately, Hulu Langat District Health Office entomologist Nurul Ainni Abdullah stressed that cleanliness plays a key role in preventing rat infestations.
She said food remnants on tables and floors should be cleaned immediately using proper detergents, noting that bacteria from rat urine and droppings can remain viable for between a week and a month.
Premises owners were also urged not to pile up boxes and to keep stored items properly covered, as cluttered areas provide hiding and nesting spots for rodents.
On reproduction, she said rats breed rapidly, with one animal capable of reproducing up to five times a year.
Each cycle can produce between 18 and 22 young, potentially leading to as many as 110 rats annually if the population is not controlled.
