KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 14 — Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah wants stern action taken against those responsible for a bomb scare in Tampin Hospital as the incident had endangered its patients and personnel.

"The ministry views this incident seriously as it has endangered the lives of the hospital’s patients and personnel. We hope the relevant authorities will take stern action against those with ill-intent to disrupt or sabotage services at any healthcare facility,” he said in a statement.

Around 90 patients and 189 hospital staff quickly prepared for evacuation. Fourteen of the patients were in critical condition.

Dr Noor Hisham said the police confirmed there were no explosives after they had completed a sweep of the hospital and its grounds at around 9.50am.

The hospital received an anonymous bomb threat via a phone call at around 5.50am, which resulted in the deployment of several government agencies including the police, the Fire and Rescue Department, the Civil Defence Force, and the Seremban division of the Bomb Disposal Squad unit to the scene.