PETALING JAYA: Parents must pay more attention to the food that is kept in the house and what is consumed by their children, says Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.
The Women, Family and Community Development Minister said there was a tendency to overlook little details, especially when children are hungry.
“We always conduct programmes for parents but sometimes they are too busy to know the needs of their children when it comes to food.
“At (ministry-run) taska, we have sent a memo with guidelines on the type of food that is encouraged for children.
“This is why (food) knowledge among parents is important and our programmes give out the right information on the good daily practices.
"So parents are urged to be more vigilant in this matter,” she told reporters after launching a children's expo in conjunction with World Brain Day at a shopping mall here on Wednesday (July 10).
Nancy's comments came after two Kedah children fell critically ill after consuming crackers suspected to contain rat poison.
It was reported that one child, three-year-old Muhammad Akil Syauqi Nur Sufian, passed away at 8.40am on Wednesday.
The matter was confirmed by the children's mother Nurain Hasnorizal, 25.
The two brothers, Muhammad Akil and Muhammad Luth Syauqi, two, were being treated at the Penang Hospital's Paediatric Intensive Care Unit after eating crackers suspected to have been laced with poison Kampung Padang Ubi, Labu Besar, Kulim in Kedah on Sunday (July 7).
On Monday (July 8), Kulim OCPD Supt Mohd Azizul Mohd Khairi said the boys' mother became aware of the incident at 11am after her children vomited and started foaming at the mouth.
The two victims are believed to have taken a packet of crackers containing rat poison hung on the fence of a nearby garden, believed to have been set there to kill monkeys.
