Woman, 76, uses ikan bilis, duck bones & oyster sauce bait to trap 20 rats in 3 weeks at Chinatown block of flats
She usually sets up two or three traps at a time.
Residents in a Chinatown block of flats have been battling a rat infestation for nearly a year. One 76-year-old resident, Xie, decided to take action by crafting her own rat bait. Using homemade traps with ingredients like ikan bilis, duck bones, and oyster sauce, she successfully caught 20 rats in just three weeks. The rat issue had been ongoing since the end of 2025, causing hygiene and safety concerns.
Xie, who has lived in the block for decades, rarely saw rats before but now notices them running along corridors and near her home early in the mornings. She attributes the problem to food brought to a communal area on the fourth floor for weekend and holiday gatherings, where people often leave rubbish behind. Another resident also reported rats entering his home and urged to keep doors and windows closed when leaving.
The fourth floor has been converted into a recreational area with exercise equipment, and the area below the public hose block serves as an open space with signs reminding people not to urinate or make noise excessively. Shop owners on the second floor have also spotted rat signs and taken measures to prevent them from entering their premises.
Pest control is conducted weekly in the area, and the Jalan Besar Town Council has placed notices discouraging gatherings in the open area on the fourth floor. The council will continue to monitor the situation and collaborate with relevant departments to improve residents' living environment.
Written by urgent.news from Mothership's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
