GEORGE TOWN: The state Health Department has seized a gummy candy product from a premises near Sungai Dua on the mainland, following the tragic death of a 10-year-old boy who allegedly choked on it.
State health committee chairman Daniel Gooi said an investigation is underway to assess the product’s safety, with further action to be taken at the national level under the Health Ministry’s Food Safety and Quality Programme.
The seized product, identified as "Gummy Original Basketball Soft Candy," was reportedly sold near stores close to SK Sungai Dua, said Gooi in a statement on Friday (Feb 21).
The victim, Mohammad Fahmi Hafiz Mohammad, a pupil of SK Sungai Dua, was admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit of Penang Hospital in critical condition on Wednesday (Feb 19) after choking on the candy he purchased from a nearby stall.
He died on Thursday (Feb 20).
Gooi urged the public, especially parents, to be vigilant and educate their children on choosing food products that do not pose a choking risk.
"The Health Department will continue its monitoring and enforcement efforts on food safety and take necessary measures to prevent such incidents," he added.
