No pests allowed

Back in 2005, a teacher fell to his death when the floor he was standing on gave way. In 2008, the roof of a primary school in Puchong collapsed. Meanwhile, in 2009, Penang’s chief minister Lim Guan Eng had to move out of his official residence as it was unsafe. The three incidences mentioned was the end result of termite infestation problems. Pest infestations if left untreated can cause monetary losses, health problems, discomfort or in some cases, could be fatal. iProperty.com weighs in on the problem by talking to two pest control experts in the industry.

No property is truly safe from pests, even for high-rise buildings. The most common pests that we encounter here in the country are cockroaches, ants, rodents and termites. Mosquitoes are also pests that we are familiar with, being in a tropical country.  

“Termites are the number one pests in Malaysia as they can cause damage to all types of properties, residential, commercial and industrial included,” said Carol Lam, managing director of Rentokil Initial (M) Sdn Bhd.

She elaborated that termites are the most destructive, which is why pest control services offered by Rentokil Initial is split into two categories – general pests and termites. The former category refers to ants, rodents and cockroaches.

“Termites are silent invaders because in some cases when they attack, you could not even see signs of infestations. Before home owners buy sub sale properties, it is more advisable to engage the services of a pest control surveyor to spot signs of infestations at the property. Doing so can potentially eliminate nasty surprises like suddenly having the need to replace the roof due to termite damage,” added Lam.

According to Lam, pest control is important as pests can cause diseases, damage, contamination and can cause distress to property owners. She further added that pest control is also important for goodwill, especially important for restaurants and to a certain extent, businesses too, as employees will feel good that their wellbeing is taken care off.

“In Selangor, there is a regulation that is fixed by Majlis Perbandaran Subang Jaya (MPSJ) that requires all food-related businesses to have a pest control contract with any pest control companies. These are for general pests like cockroaches, rats, flies and such,” said Lam.

In the past, there was some hoo-hah that food related businesses must only engage licensed pest control companies recognised by MPSJ. This decision was since overturned and now operators are free to engage any pest control services. That said, the pest control operators and their technicians are required to have a Pest Control Operator License and Pesticide Applicator License (PAL).

SF Yoong, general manager of AntiPest Management Services Sdn Bhd also opined that termites are the number one pests in Malaysia. He said, “Termites attacks the structure of a building and potentially cause serious damage. Other pests like cockroaches, rodents and mosquitoes attack the health and safety of the public as they can spread diseases. Meanwhile for restaurants, pests cause a hygiene problem and they may lose their operating licenses.”

Yoong shared that in AntiPest’s past experiences; they have seen roofs that are so badly damaged that they are almost in the state of collapse. Furthermore, the homes that are most susceptible to pest invasion are the ones left vacant for a long period of time.

Apart from termites, Yoong said that ants are also a common pest in the country but they are generally more of a nuisance rather than are destructive. He further shared that most of the cockroaches in homes are of the American species and they reside mostly in septic tanks and damp humid areas.

Engaging pest control services

While there are many companies out in the market offering pest control services, consumers need to ensure that they engage a licensed company. Consumers have a right to see the PAL license of the pesticide applicators. This is to ensure that they are trained and authorised in the safe-handling of pesticides, its application, usage of machinery and proper usage of pesticides to control infestations.

To engage pest control services, house owners will just need to call licensed pest control operators. Consumers can get a quotation over the phone, but in some cases, pest control operators can send a surveyor over to the property to evaluate the problem. Depending on the operator’s coverage area, this preliminary evaluation can be free without any obligations. That said, this is usually a visual examination. There might be a fee should there be a need for detailed written reports.

“The recommended frequency for pest control is bi-monthly and contrary to popular belief, it does not actually cost a lot,” said Lam.

Lam shared that for general pest contracts with Rentokil, it only costs from RM360 per annum for residential properties and from RM400 for commercial properties. This contract keeps cockroaches, rodents and ants in check, with professional visits from licensed technicians to the property once every two months. Meanwhile, a one-off termite treatment will cost from RM2,500. Quoted prices are only for indoor areas and do not include gardens.

“Every pest control company must be licensed by the Ministry of Agriculture under the Pesticides Board. Each applicator must be holding a license and property owners should look out for that,” said Yoong.

He added that it also helps that if the pest control company is a member of the Pest Control Association of Malaysia (PCAM). “Members of PCAM have a code of ethics. Furthermore, consumers have an association to turn to should there be any feedback on pest control companies that are members of the PCAM,” added Yoong.

“Antipest can send surveyors within certain coverage areas free-or-charge to evaluate infestations and the controls needed. We have operations in the Klang Valley and Johor. Engaging pest control services (with Antipest) can range from RM60 to RM150 per hour, depending on the distance and level of infestation,” said Yoong.

Apart from general pests (cockroaches, ants and rodents), Antipest also deals with incidental pests like bed bugs, fleas, bees, hornets and even birds. Yoong pointed out that not all pest control methods use chemicals and there are other methods such as sealing, sticky pads and such.

Cost variations of pest control services largely depend on the size of the property and the required treatment. It is also important to note that termite treatments do usually come with a warranty period. As for new properties, they normally come with termite preventive treatment before the construction and after the warranty period, owners might want to get annual inspection.

Pesticide concerns

Lam pointed out that pesticides used by Rentokil are Class 4 which is friendly to the environment and are generally safer.  

Lam stressed, “Cheaper pesticides might have a smell and could possibly cause contamination when sprayed. This really emphasises on the importance of using licensed pest control companies,

“Rentokil uses odourless pesticides and are careful in our application. Before contracts are signed, we have a health and safety checklist and site risk assessment which will be carried out together with the customer.”

Yoong said, “All chemicals have a degree of toxicity. Antipest uses only approved chemicals by the Pesticides Board and all of them are clearly labelled with safety measures included. Licensed applicators will be handling the pesticides, hence the importance of using established and licensed companies.”

Nip it in the bud!

The adage that prevention is better than cure applies to pest control as well. Both Lam and Yoong stressed that good housekeeping and proper sanitation are the best preventive measures that property owners should do. By eliminating potential food and shelter, it discourages pests from invading the property.

Doing simple things like instantly cleaning food spillages, covering rubbish bins and getting them cleared out of the house daily, keeping plants well maintained, sealing up cracks and crevices, as well as not leaving food exposed will help prevent pests.

“Rentokil recommends to our commercial clients that they should not allow their employees to eat in the office unless good eating and disposing areas can be provided,” said Lam.

When asked about the effectiveness of traditional pest control methods, the kind that is hearsay, both Lam and Yoong could not comment on their effectiveness as they have not personally tried them. However, Yoong does not deny that there is a possibility that some methods may work.

Well, perhaps one of the proven traditional methods against pest is to use a slipper to destroy them, but best of luck with this method when there is an infestation. Best way? Get help from a licensed pest control company.