KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 — The husband of a Pasir Gudang woman who recently died from heart failure has asked the public to stop spreading fake news about his wife’s death.
The Star reported A. Bakar Abd Rahman, 48, as saying that his wife Marini Kasman, 37, had died from heart failure and not from air pollution in Pasir Gudang, Johor, as alleged on social media.
“I would like to apologise if anything I’ve said have been misinterpreted, and I do not want to blame any government agencies or department,” A. Bakar was quoted saying at his home in Taman Cahaya Masai in Johor Baru yesterday.
He reportedly said his statements had been twisted and that unknown journalists had asked him questions just after he buried his wife.
A. Bakar added that police have called him up to give a statement.
“There are also irresponsible people out there who have used pictures of me and my wife during the recent Hari Raya to gain sympathy.
“I would like to advise these people to stop, if you have some humanity in you, you should understand my current situation,” he was quoted saying.
Marini was admitted to Hospital Sultan Ismail Johor Baru last Friday after experiencing breathing difficulties, coughing for three days, swollen feet, and fever for a day.
Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad denied claims on social media that Marini died from a lack of oxygen in the blood because of air pollution in Pasir Gudang.
The latest health incident in Pasir Gudang has sickened over 1,100 people since June 20, causing them breathing difficulties and nausea, while the previous March incident of a chemical waste dump into Sungai Kim Kim in the constituency had caused about 6,000 people to suffer breathing difficulties from the toxic fumes.
Dzulkefly said the 37-year-old woman had suffered from chronic hypertension for the past 10 years and died last Saturday from heart failure due to chronic health problems.
Marini’s death has since sparked controversy on social media after it was linked to the air pollution in Pasir Gudang.
