The authorities are investigating a 20-year-old Chinese national with apparent Sars symptoms who was arrested for trying to sneak in from Singapore while another four new suspected cases were reported today.

The woman has been hospitalised and the Health Ministry is trying to get more information o­n her situation, ministry deputy director general Ismail Merican told reporters.

The Star newspaper said the woman and three Malaysian men, aged between 19 and 22, were found squeezed in the boot of a car late Wednesday while trying to cross the causeway into Johor from Singapore.