KUALA TERENGGANU: Although the authorities have not received any report on the claim of contamination of untreated sewage in the waters of Pulau Perhentian Kecil, the Terengganu government says it is taking the matter seriously.

       Six friends reportedly suffered food poisoning while on holiday recently on the island in Besut, allegedly due to the contamination of untreated sewage.

       State tourism, culture and digital technology committee chairman Ariffin Deraman said the departments involved had been instructed to take samples of the water as well as to conduct immediate monitoring on the issue.

       “The state government views the matter seriously, especially when it comes to the safety of tourists, and if the allegations are found to be true, it will certainly give a negative image to the state’s tourism industry,” he said in a statement yesterday, according to Bernama.

       Indirectly, he added, it would affect the confidence of tourists to visit the resort islands in Terengganu.

       However, Ariffin said it was understood that thus far the state Health Department and the Besut district health office had not received any report on the case.

       He said the results of a check on food poisoning incident data for 2021 until Sunday also found that there was no report of food poisoning cases that had occurred in Pulau Perhentian.

       On Saturday, a news portal reported six friends as claiming that they had suffered food poisoning and were taken ill after swimming in waters believed to be contaminated with untreated sewage in Pulau Perhentian Kecil.

       All of them claimed to have started vomiting later that evening. They were on a two-night trip to the famous island.