Committee investigating claims Orang Asli given birth control without consent to meet Wednesday (July 17)

PUTRAJAYA : The committee carrying out the internal inquiry to investigate claims that Orang Asli women were given birth control treatment without consent will meet on Wednesday (July 17).

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said a report will then be submitted to him on July 26.

"We have been asked why we are not roping other authorities to investigate the allegations. Let us look into the claims first before we decide on the next step," he said after opening the 33rd Scientific Meeting of  the Malaysian Society of Pharmacology and Physiology Monday (July 15).

On Saturday (July 13), Dr Dzulkefly had said that his ministry had set up an internal inquiry to investigate the allegations.

A news portal had reported that Health Ministry staff had given contraceptive injections to the Orang Asli women, especially those who had recently married, causing them to have side effects.

Representatives from five Orang Asli villages submitted a memorandum to the government at the Parliament building here, claiming that birth control injections were administered to women in their communities.