Deputy health minister: Determining cause of deaths of 12 Orang Asli to take time

KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 — Determining the cause of the deaths of 12 Orang Asli in Kampung Kuala Koh, Kelantan, is going to take some time, Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye said today.

He said the post mortem will not be just the physical examination of the bodies but also encompasses chemical tests and tests for chemical agents.

“These toxicology tests take a while,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby.

Dr Lee was asked to comment on a news portal report quoting an NGO urging the government to reveal the post-mortem report and alleging that the Orang Asli died from manganese poisoning.

Last Saturday, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the post mortem was done on June 17 and 18 on the Orang Asli bodies recovered by the police.

However, he said, the results of the tests on toxicology, heavy metal and entomology had yet to be obtained. — Bernama