Kuala Koh Batek tribesmen's lives back to normal - Wan Azizah

PUTRAJAYA, June 26 (Bernama) -- The Orang Asli community in Kampung Kuala Koh, Gua Musang, Kelantan, who lost 15 members to a measles outbreak recently, have returned to normal lives and their daily routines.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said three rounds of water sample tests on the community's water sources in the settlement showed normal readings.

“I was given reports via WhatsApp that the community's lives are back to normal, with them even back to singing and playing their guitars.

“Alhamdulillah, this shows that they have resumed normal activities,” she told reporters after attending the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry's Hari Raya celebrations here, today.  

Since early May, 15 members of the Batek tribe were reported to have died, initially feared to have been from a mysterious illness, only to be confirmed later on as measles by the Health Ministry. 

On the chemical pollution situation in Pasir Gudang, Johor, Dr Wan Azizah said the government has yet to identify the cause of the incident that led to the public, mainly schoolchildren, suffering from breathlessness and bouts of vomiting since last Thursday.

She said National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) officers have been stationed in the area to monitor samples in an effort to identify the source.

Last Thursday, 14 students of Sekolah Agama Taman Mawar (SATM) and 13 more from Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Pasir Gudang (4), experienced breathing difficulties, nausea and vomiting, believed to be from air pollution. 

The incident is a repeat of a similar episode almost three months ago when a 1.5 kilometre stretch along Sungai Kim Kim was found to badly polluted from toxic waste, affecting some 6,000 residents.

-- BERNAMA