M’sian medical student dies of infection in Medan

SEMARANG (Central Java): A Malaysian student in Medan, Sumatra, has died of bacterial infection of the tonsils.

Nurul Arifah Ahmad Ali, 20, a medical student at Universiti Sumatera Utara, died at 2.30am yesterday at the H. Adam Malik General Hospital in Medan.

Director of Education Malaysia in Indonesia (EMI), associate professor Dr Mior Harris Mior Harun, said Nurul Arifah was hospitalised yesterday and confirmed her death was due to diphtheria tonsilitis.

“The National Association of Malaysian Students in Indonesia in Medan is looking into the documentation process,” he said, adding that Nurul Arifah’s family was now in Medan and the Malaysian consulate there was making arrangements to bring her body back to Malaysia.

Asked if her death was related to the haze in Sumatra, Prof Mior Harris said that based on the report by the Indonesian authorities, the air quality in Medan was still good.

According to the Indonesian media, Medan was reported to be free of the haze while the Riau, Pekanbaru and Jambi provinces were badly affected.

“To date, only the air quality in Pekanbaru and Jambi have been categorised as very unhealthy.

“Students at Universitas Islam Negeri Sultan Syarif Kasim, Pekanbaru, have been told to stay away until Sept 13.

“There are 214 Malaysian students at that university,” he said.

Prof Mior Harris added that there were 110 Malaysian students at Universitas Islam Negeri Sultan Thaha Saifuddin in Jambi which was operating as usual.

He was speaking to Bernama during a visit by the delegates of the Malaysian Embassy who were promoting the Visit Malaysia Year 2020 at Semarang-Solo-Yogyakarta.