Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo said statistics related to the dengue outbreak this year, including the number of fatalities, cannot be made public due to an instruction from the cabinet.

This revelation made in an e-mail communiqu to DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang confirmed the allegation that the authorities were trying to put a lid o­n the matter.

Copies of Mohd Khir's e-mail were distributed during a press conference at the DAP headquarters in Petaling Jaya today.

The menteri besar was responding Lim's fifth, out of eight e-mails, sent to him o­n the matter.

However, Mohd Khir disputed the charge that the state government had not released any figures o­n the epidemic.