WOMAN DIES OF METHANOL POISONING
26-year-old becomes second victim, say police
A26-YEAR-OLD woman succumbed to methanol poisoning yesterday after consuming alcohol, bringing the number of deaths to two.
Port Dickson district police chief Superintendent Aidi Sham Mohamed said K. Rathika from Felda Serting Hilir 4 in Bandar Baru Serting was pronounced
dead at Port Dickson Hospital (PDH) yesterday morning.
“The victim was pronounced dead at 8.36am after being admitted to PDH yesterday (Wednesday).
“The post-mortem confirmed that she had been suffering from methanol poisoning after consuming alcohol,” he said at a press conference at the Port Dickson police headquarters here.
Several others were being treated at PDH, believed to be for methanol poisoning as well.
The first victim was a 27-yearold Myanmar citizen.
He died at 9.03pm at Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital last Monday.
Aidi said three other victims were still receiving treatment, with two of them in PDH and one at the Tunku Ampuan Najihah Hospital in Kuala Pilah.
Aidi said based on the information received by the police, the victim had bought the alcoholic drink at a grocery store in Lukut.
“Following that, two individuals, a 50-year-old woman and her 19-year-old son, who were suspected of selling the liquor to the victim at Taman Indah Jaya, Lukut, have been detained for further investigation.
“Initial checks revealed that the suspects had bought 24 cans of liquor from a 40-year-old man for RM140. In a joint operation with the district health office, the police seized 13 cans of the ‘Mule Beer’ brand sold for RM7.50 each,” he said.
Aidi said the two suspects will be remanded at the Port Dickson magistrate’s court today to assist in the investigation. The case is being investigated under Section 304A of the Penal Code.