A Myanmar national and a Nepalese in their 30s are the two latest casualties in Selangor, bringing the death toll due to alcohol poisoning in the state to 22 as of 8am today.
Selangor police chief Mazlan Mansor said the casualties so far were two Malaysians, two Bangladeshis, seven Nepalis, 10 Myanmar and one Indian national.
He said 22 more victims are still receiving medical treatment, while 14 others have been discharged from hospital.
“They comprise two Malaysians, 23 Nepalese, nine Bangladeshis, and one each from Myanmar and India,” he said in a statement today.
Mazlan said so far, Selangor police have recorded 58 victims of toxic alcohol poisoning.
Meanwhile, in Perak, State Health, Consumer Affairs, National Integration and Human Resource Committee chairman A. Sivanesan said that there were no new cases of toxic alcohol poisoning reported in the state so far.
He added that of the five reported cases, two were fatal.
Both the men were locals, one of them had consumed whiskey while the other had had beer, he said, adding that the other three were still receiving treatment at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh.
Sivanesan also sought an explanation from a liquor company after the department had found traces of methanol, which was untypical, in its beer.
"The company needs to come up with an explanation of whether the beer is being tainted by methanol or not," he said.
Meanwhile, the Nepal embassy will review the current orientation programme for its nationals in view of the deadly drinks that killed seven Nepali workers in the Klang Valley.
Its Chargé d'Affaires Kumar Raj Kharel said he hoped the reviewed programme, would create awareness among Nepali workers of the danger of consuming illicit liquor and the importance of drinking responsibly.
According to the embassy's figure, 24 cases involving Nepalese were recorded, including the seven deaths.
"One deceased, did not have proper documentation. But from the friend who brought him to the hospital and from our record, we identified him as a Nepal citizen," he said.
According to the latest official figures, there are 385,000 legal Nepalese workers in Malaysia, and an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 undocumented workers.
Kumar Raj said through the investigations conducted by Malaysian authorities, he hoped actions would be taken against those responsible for the incident.
Yesterday, MOH director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said, so far, 68 premises selling liquor were checked in which 647 bottles of alcoholic drinks of various brands, including those that did not comply with the Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985 were seized.
According to Section 13 of the Food Act 1983, any person who prepares or sells any food that has in or upon it any substance which is poisonous, harmful or otherwise injurious to health, commits an offence and shall be liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding RM100,000, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years, or both.
– Bernama
