Are the National Service authorities in a state of denial over the cause of illness among 51 trainees at the Bukit Saban camp in Betong, Sarawak, in January?

DAP MP for Bandar Kuching Chong Chieng Jen posed this question after receiving a reply to a letter he wrote to them on Jan 29 to ask about the cause(s) of the incident.

Chong said the reply states the situation had nothing to do with food poisoning or contaminated water.

However, he pointed out that the majority of the trainees had complained of vomiting and diarrhoea on Jan 14. They were rushed to the public hospital in Betong for outpatient treatment

The authorities, who have been tightlipped to date on the incident, further stated in the letter that they were waiting for a detailed report from the hospital.

"If this is so, how can they be so certain it was not food poisoning?" asked Chong.

He also said his question on the daily allocation for food for each trainee was not answered.

"I understand the rate is RM30 per head per day. If this is true, it is a lot," he noted.

The Bukit Saban camp, about 300km from Kuching, can accommodate more than 300 trainees. It is one of three NS camps in the state.