It was a tragedy that should not have happened – 18 reported deaths (three official) and 112 people sick among Bateq Orang Asli in Kelantan.
Som Yai had to watch helpessly as her husband, Hamdan, turned into a “bag of bones”. She had barely begun to mourn when her three children fell ill and died. A heartbroken Som told reporters: “I felt so helpless.... They were just lying there in pain, and could not even eat or drink anything.”
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