Two recent travellers to Hong Kong have criticised officials manning the health ministry's Disease Control Division (DCD) operations centre in Kuala Lumpur for their indifference to vital information.

The duo had attempted to inform the centre that they had stayed at the Metropole Hotel in Hong Kong during the sensitive two-week period following the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) there.

The ministry, which had requested the information, today advised all 52 guests who had stayed at the hotel from Feb 18 to March 3 to report to the nearest hospital or clinic.