Bodies of 15 Orang Asli buried at village Muslim cemetery

Imam Tua Othman Saufi leads funeral prayers for the 15 Orang Asli at Tengku Faez Petra Mosque in Gua Musang. (Bernama pic)

GUA MUSANG: The bodies of 15 Orang Asli from the Batek tribe who were believed to have died of measles were buried at the Kampung Kuala Koh Muslim Cemetery today.

The funeral prayers at the Tengku Faez Petra Mosque in Gua Musang were led by imam Tua Othman Saufi and joined by more than 20 representatives of the various government departments and agencies, including the Kelantan Islamic Religion and Malay Customs Council (MAIK).

The bodies were taken from the forensic room at Gua Musang Hospital at 8.30am before they were accompanied to the mosque for prayers.

The bodies were those of Poja Jong, 21, Romi Hamdan, 29, Nazri Rosli, three, Jaid Keladi, 55, Safia Papan, 18, Fayah Papan, 20, Din Hamdan, 18, Mek Nab Tebu, 63, Leha Hamdan, 26, Mohd Salleh Khaizan, one, Jelik Jong, five, Puspa Lee, five, Amir Lee, one, Haika Rahim, 22, and Farah Rahim, 20.

Fourteen of the bodies had to be exhumed, including those buried according to tribal customs, for examination at the Gua Musang Hospital to determine the cause of death.

Another 112 members of the Batek community had sought treatment at hospitas and clinics.

Kuala Koh OCPD Mohd Taufik Maidin said Kampung Kuala Koh was still designated as a red zone area and only authorised people were allowed in. - FMT