KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 — The internal inquiry into allegations of Orang Asli women in Perak being forced to accept birth control treatments has been completed, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dzulkefly Ahmad said today.
He said the report has been handed over to the ministry’s director-general (DG) Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah on Wednesday.
“The Health DG has received the full report and will brief me early next week,” Dzulkefly told a press conference in Sik Hospital in Kedah.
On July 13, Dzulkefly said an internal inquiry had been set up to look into the matter, and would involve three terms of reference.
The investigation would include whether there was force involved in the administration of birth control among the Orang Asli women as alleged, to identify weaknesses in the delivery of the family planning programme and thirdly, to improve the delivery of the (family planning) programme itself.
Five representatives from Orang Asli villages in Perak submitted a memorandum to the government on July 9 on the matter, claiming that women from their community were being forced to accept birth control treatment.
