Jahai tribe children are succumbing to a mysterious illness

BELUM: A mysterious illness is killing orang asli children from the Jahai tribe in the Sungai Kejar area of Perak’s Royal Belum State Park and the authorities are either unaware of it or believe that the orang asli are not reporting the deaths.

The tribe calls the disease serawan. It starts with white spots in the children’s mouths and kills within days after symptoms are seen.