Action will taken against the teachers or ministry officers if they are found to have done anything that led to the tragic situation of the seven Orang Asli children in Kelantan, Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan said today.

"If we find that there has been something wrong on the part of the ministry or the teachers, the ministry will not hesitate to take action against the persons concerned," Kamalanathan told reporters in Kuala Lumpur today.

For now, he said. he has not received all the details of the incident yet, adding that police are currently investigating the case.

"Since the police are investigating this case right now, I think it's better for the police to complete their investigations," he said.

Once the police investigation is completed, he said, the Education Ministry would take action accordingly.

Seven Orang Asli children went missing from SK Pas Tohoi in Gua Musang, Kelantan, on Aug 23. Two of the children, Miksudiar Aluj, 11, and Norieen Yaakob, 10, were found safe at Sungai Perias last Friday.

Family members confirmed that Sasa Sobrie, eight, and Ika Ayel, nine, had died. Two other children's skeletal remains have yet to be identified, with one more still missing.

The parents of the children had reportedly said that the school had not informed them of their children's disappearance.

A police report was only lodged by the school on Aug 25, two days after the children went missing.

Defending CWC post

Kamalanathan was speaking at a press conference at the MIC headquarters to announce he will be defending his seat in the MIC central working committee (CWC) in the coming MIC elections.

"After much thinking, discussion after discussion, I have decided that in order to preserve unity and encourage solidarity, I will focus my attention on contesting as a member of the MIC central working committee," he said.

He said he was initially considering contesting for a vice-president's post but now feels he can do more for the party as a member of the CWC.

"The individual's ambition should not overshadow the party's interest. That is my personal opinion.

"I have always been a loyal party man," Kamalanathan claimed.