KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 ― The police will seek for a public inquest of the six fatalities at the 2014 Future Music Festival Asia, according to city police chief Senior Deputy Commissioner Datuk Tajuddin Md Isa amid debate over the real cause of their deaths.
The Star daily reported today Tajuddin saying the initial finding of the six deaths as a result of drug overdose was based on the police’s preliminary investigations, noting that the official toxicology report was only completed two months later.
“Drug abuse could have contributed, although it was not the cause of death as per the pathologist’s findings.
“Still, the final say comes from the pathologist,” he was quoted saying.
He was quoted saying the outcome will be made public at the inquest.
On Sunday, The Star reported University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) forensic pathology department head Prof Dr K. Nadesan as saying that heatstroke caused the FMFA deaths and the drugs had played a negligible role.
Of the 16 party-goers who were taken to the hospital that day, two had no traces of any illegal substances, the toxicology report said.
But Dr Nadesan claimed the police showed little interest in the findings, although he sent them several detailed reports to correct their statements to the public on the deaths.
The post-mortem reports were not made public, with The Star also reporting today that the family members of one of those who died had were not given access to the autopsy results.
Yesterday, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar insisted that drugs had contributed to the deaths, as it would cause dehydration and ultimately heatstroke for the six who had died.
FMFA 2014’s organiser The Livescape Group insisted on Monday that it had provided free drinking water during the event and booths selling water and other non-alcoholic drinks, also pledging yesterday to sell bottled water at a cheaper price at future events.
