KUALA LUMPUR – There will be no further action taken against the kitchen of the Sunway Lagoon theme park in regards to the food poisoning case which happened on October 4, 2025.
The Health Ministry’s Food Safety and Quality Division (FSQD), in a statement to Scoop, said the two-week closure notice was “punishment enough” for the theme park’s kitchen management.
“The Health Ministry will not compromise with any food promises that are dirty and prepare food that is unsafe for consumption.
“In this case, the kitchen was ordered to be closed for 14 days under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342), and it was allowed to resume operations once the theme park’s management made improvements,” said the statement.
According to the statement further, the ministry’s laws stipulate that all food premise owners, workers, and operators must abide by rules in preparing and serving food that is safe for consumption.
“In this case, even though all food handlers were found to have attended the Food Handler Training (LPM) during the inspection, all workers may be directed to re-attend the Food Handler Training Course organised by the Food Handler Training School (SLPM), which is recognised by the Health Ministry.”
The incident, which affected 322 out of 4,710 participants during a government agency’s Family Day, saw attendees experiencing symptoms including vomiting, diarrhoea, and stomach cramps. While the majority of those affected were adults (92%), children and teenagers were also among the reported cases. Fortunately, no fatalities or ICU admissions have been reported.
Following the outbreak, the Selangor Health Department (JKNS) swiftly ordered the closure of the theme park’s kitchen for two weeks (from October 7 to October 21), to allow cleaning and disinfecting works.
Investigations by the department also revealed that food preparation was carried out in large quantities by a limited number of staff, which likely contributed to the poor hygiene practices.
Despite the incident, the theme park itself remained open, as the contamination was found to be limited to the kitchen and not related to the park’s environment. This decision to keep the park operational has sparked criticism from some quarters.
The incident has led to growing concerns about the theme park’s safety practices.
Despite the park’s ownership of a hospital, there was no significant outreach to offer restitution, compensation, or medical assistance to the affected individuals.
In addition, reports have surfaced of previous, smaller food poisoning incidents at the park’s affiliated hotels and mall, although none were as widespread as the October 4 outbreak. – November 12, 2025