KUALA TERENGGANU, Sept 26 — The Terengganu Chemistry Department will become a one-stop centre to handle samples from criminal cases in the East Zone from January next year.

Deputy Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Ahmad Amzah Hashim said currently all samples involving police cases from the East Coast need to be sent to the Chemistry Department of Malaysia in Petaling Jaya for processing as there were not enough experts and a lack of equipment.

Therefore, it takes up to a month before a report could be completed for use in courts and other purposes.

“Alhamdulillah, with complete equipment and adequate expertise, this one-stop forensics DNA laboratory can now handle criminal cases.

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“With the skills of three forensics officers in the laboratory, we hope it can operate well and reports on samples can be obtained faster,” he said after launching the laboratory here today.

Chemistry Department of Malaysia director-general Mohamed Zain Abd Rahman was also present at the launch.

The one-stop forensics DNA analysis laboratory began operations in April, but its functions were limited to managing paternity tests to determine familial bloodlines for issues regarding inheritance and nationality in the absence of a birth certificate.

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Ahmad Amzad said that on an average, 60 samples of cases involving crimes like murder, rape and robbery from the East Zone were sent to the headquarters for processing every month. — Bernama