MORE people are expected to come to hospitals seeking treatment for methanol poisoning which has so far seen 21 deaths.

Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said there could be more such cases and he would update the public.

“We are doing everything we can to address this issue. We have confiscated 291 bottles of various alcohol brands, but there could be more out there.

“There is a possibility that more people will come for treatment,” he said at the Health Ministry today.

Dzulkefly said that they had received 55 cases of poisoning in the Klang Valley as of today – 48 in Selangor and seven more in Kuala Lumpur.

“To date, there have been 21 deaths because of methanol poisoning. Nineteen deaths at government hospitals and another two at private hospitals.”

Dzulkefly said that the Food Quality and Safety Department had carried out analyses on Grand Royal Whiskey, Mandalay Whiskey, and King Fisher.

He said that they had only found high methanol content in one brand so far, Grand Royal Whiskey, which went against the Food Act 1983. 

He said that these cases of methanol posioning were not the first.

“This also happened in 2013, and we had 44 cases and 29 deaths. In 1981, we had 31 cases in Kedah. 

“But we have not been alerted of any cases from other states.”

He said that there was the possibility it was a bad batch of liquor.

“It is more likely to be adulterated and put in the market by moonshiners.

“Lack of information of the agent and distributor on the label is a sign of an adulterated product.

“The police should investigate as to whether it is counterfeit.” – September 19, 2018.