Cash for Rats: Market Vendors Paid to Tackle Infestation

Vendors Offered S$1 Rat Bounty to Boost Hygiene

The Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ) in Selangor has launched a rat extermination campaign offering RM3 (approximately S$1) for each rat caught at Pasar Pekan Ampang and its surrounding areas.

With the goal of lowering the local rodent population and stopping the spread of illnesses like leptospirosis, the initiative started on July 8, 2025, and will end on July 25.

Officially called Kempen Basmi Tikus MPAJ, the campaign is a collaboration with the Zone 8 Residents’ Committee.

Public Health Behind the Bounty

According to MPAJ, the rat bounty aligns with global health and sustainability goals outlined by the United Nations, particularly Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) and Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). The council hopes the monetary incentive will mobilise the community to take part in maintaining cleanliness.

To claim the reward, vendors must bring the rats to a designated redemption counter at the Pekan Ampang Market compound, which operates from 9:30am to 12:00pm, Monday to Friday.

MPAJ officials said the goal is not just extermination but also community engagement to halt rodent breeding, improve sanitation, and promote environmental responsibility. Health authorities in Malaysia have long warned of leptospirosis, a bacterial infection commonly spread through rat urine, especially in wet markets and food-handling zones.

Kota Kinabalu Also Joins the Fight

This campaign echoes a similar effort in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, where city authorities are paying RM2 (S$0.60) per rat as part of a nationwide push to lower the Rodent Index, a government metric used to measure rat density.

Since early 2025, over 500 rats have been caught there under similar campaigns. These programmes often include public clean-up drives, rat-control contests, and cleanliness audits of market stalls.

Cleaner Markets, Safer Communities

While the idea of catching rats for cash may sound unusual to some, local councils in Malaysia say the strategy is proving effective. By involving vendors directly, it creates shared responsibility for hygiene and incentivises immediate action.

Residents in surrounding regions familiar with wet markets will recognise the significance of such measures, particularly in densely populated urban areas where food safety is paramount.

The rat campaign in Ampang reflects a broader trend in Southeast Asia, where local governments are turning to community-led solutions to tackle persistent urban sanitation issues—one rodent at a time.

Watch a video here:

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