Police declare Kuala Koh a 'red zone'

Police have declared the Bateq village in Kuala Koh, Gua Musang as a 'red zone' amid efforts to track down the graves and exhume the bodies of 12 Orang Asli who died from an unidentified disease.

Gua Musang police chief Mohd Taufik Maidin said police have blocked the entrance road to the village at Felda Aring 10.

"Only certain officers from the government agencies involved in the operation to search for the graves are allowed to enter," he told reporters today.

Among officers seen entering the area were those from the Fire and Rescue Department, Orang Asli Development Department, Bukit Aman Forensics Unit, Geoscience and Mineral Department, and Environmental Department.

It was previously reported that police needed more time to search for the 12 graves. They were buried according to their native customs.

Authorities are mulling exhuming the bodies for further investigation into the root cause of the 14 deaths of those said to have succumbed to a 'mysterious disease' over the past month.

Kelantan police chief Hasanuddin Hassan said family members of the deceased had buried them deep in the jungles.

"What is known is that the bodies were buried or placed deep in the jungle. The police and the other agencies are trying our best to locate the burial site.

"This type of operation can be difficult and will take a long time as the bodies have been moved quite a distance out of the village,” he said.

The plight of the Bateq tribe in Kampung Kuala Koh came to light after two of them died of pneumonia earlier this month. - mkini