Weed Killer Blamed for Food Poisoning in Malaysia

Siputeh batu Gajah kuala Lumpur Malaysia Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam Jamaludin Saaid

By Staff Reporter , Parent Herald Mar 07, 04:30 am

A weed killer is blamed for the recent food poisoning case in Siputeh, Batu Gajah in Perak, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last Friday. The weedicide was reportedly blown to in an area near a coffee shop selling drinks and other food items.

The Malay Mail Online said 39 individuals were brought to the hospital after they complained of diarrhea, dizziness and disorientation after buying food from the coffee shop. It noted that four of them are in critical condition since they experienced difficulty in breathing.

Health Ministry Director-General Datuk Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah added that the ages of the victims were between 2 and 71. "Based on their symptoms, we suspect the food they consumed has been contaminated by organophosphates. Based on our investigations, they bought food from the same food stall (in Siputeh) on Friday," he added.

Some of the patients reportedly had low levels of cholinesterase in their blood. Noor Hisham said they could have been exposed to organophosphate compounds, chemicals which can be found on insecticides and aerosols.

In an update, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr. S. Subramaniam mentioned in The Star report that the spraying of a weedicide could be the cause of the food poisoning. "[It] caused the food poisoning on this scale," he explained. Normally we do have weedicide poisoning, by those attempting to commit suicide by drinking it and then go to the hospital, but this is not the case."

He tagged the incident as an "indirect contamination" of the powerful poison which can paralyze an individual. "We are quite surprised by this type of contamination," Subramaniam noted.

Jamaludin Saaid, the owner of the coffee shop, said he was shocked with the incident since it was the first time that happened. "These people have been coming to my shop for years. I don't know what to say," he added.

Saaid's business was ordered closed for about two weeks pending the investigation. The owner has expressed his willingness to participate in the ongoing probe of the authorities.