Deadly manganese poisoning among Batek in Kg Kuala Koh
PETALING JAYA: Dr Steven KW Chow revealed that the manganese poisoning level of the water that they collected from Kampung Kuala Koh was deadly.
“The manganese poisoning level is 2,500% more than the threshold. It is toxic water. Drink it and you will surely die,” he said at a press conference.
The threshold for iron is 0.3mg per litre and for manganese is 0.1mg per litre. The water sample tested revealed that manganese level is at 2.53 mg per litre.
Chow is Federation of Private Medical Practitioners Associations, Malaysia, (FPMPAM) president and founding chairman of Drs For All.
On Friday, he rubbished the reasons that attempted to explain the deaths of the Batek.
“This is frightening. There are people drinking the water.”
He also said that the most affected by the poisoning were children, lactating mothers and the elderly.
To overcome the problem, Dr Chow suggested a host of measures and chief among them is the right to information to what was going on.
“The public need to know. The Batek also want to know.
He also said that the Orang Asli there needed sustainable source of water.
“All mining land should be closed. Need to do postmortem reports. The surviving community screened and treated.
“Was there another poisoning for family cluster death?” Dr Chow asked.
By: K Pragalath
