Orang Asli's deaths: early report probably next week

SIK, July 27 (Bernama) -- An early report on the forensic results of 12 bodies of Orang Asli who died in Kuala Koh, Gua Musang, Kelantan is expected to be ready next week.

Health Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said that he would brief Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah as soon as he obtained the report. 

‘’MOH (Ministry of Health) together with other quarters including NADMA (National Disaster Management Agency), RMP (Royal Malaysian Police and the Chemistry Department had met yesterday. One early report is being prepared and will be tabled to me,’’ he told reporters after visiting the Sik Hospital here today.

He said that a full report could only be completed after MOH had received the DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) result from the 12 bodies, toxicology and heavy metal test results from eight bodies and the entomology results from 10 bodies.

‘’The process for the DNA reports from the Chemistry Department takes at the least four weeks more to complete and MOH will make statements from time to time if there are new developments,’’ he said.

In another development, Dr Dzulkefly said a report on an investigation and findings of the laboratory test on the contents of the ‘ghost smoke’ sweets was also expected to be known soon.

He advised parents not to allow their children to consume the sweets as their contents and nutritional values were not known.

‘’Parents must be responsible, don’t follow the trend, sophisticated things appear attractive, don’t easily give them to your children,’’ he said.

The ghost smoke sweets received public attention after a video showing them emitting cigarette-like smoke after being ‘sucked’ by several students viraled on the social media recently and triggered the anxiety of parents.

-- BERNAMA