GUA MUSANG, June 13 — The body of Orang Asli, Romi Hamdan, has been exhumed a second time to enable a post-mortem to be conducted. 

Romi, 25, who was from the Batek tribe and died on May 29, had been buried the next day in the Kuala Koh forest, in accordance with Islamic rites — the cause of death was pneumonia, as determined by authorities. 

The exhumation was conducted today with the forensic unit retrieving the body at 3.30pm today, said Gua Musang district police chief Supt Mohd Taufik Maidin.

The body was sent to the Gua Musang Hospital, said Mohd Taufik during a press conference at Aring Estate here.

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On the discovery of four more bodies belonging to the community during a search operation today, he said the bodies which were wrapped in mengkuang (screwpine leaves) mats, had not been removed and location markers had been placed in the area for further action.

A total of 14 Orang Asli deaths were reported to have taken place in the past month, with two bodies examined by the authorities and determined to have been caused by pneumonia.

Out of the remaining 12 bodies, eight have been found with the cause of deaths being investigated by the authorities.

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The search for the remaining four bodies is anticipated to take time as they are located deep in the forest, Mohd Taufik explained. — Bernama