Two months before families of rockfall victims can claim remains, say cops

IPOH: The families of the two victims who were killed during a rockfall incident at a quarry in Keramat Pulai here are expected to be able to claim their bodies in about two months’ time, say police.

Ipoh OCPD Asst Comm Yahaya Hassan said it would take time for the whole process of identifying the respective victims.

“It usually takes about two months after the DNA samples collected from their kin have been sent.

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“It takes time, from analysing the DNA, preparing the report before being sent to the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital for comparison,” he told a press conference after attending the district police department’s National Sports Day at Lubuk Timah Recreational Centre in Simpang Pulai here on Saturday (Oct 8).

“The families cannot claim the bodies until their identities have been ascertained,” he added.

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On March 8, two workers at the quarry, Kheow Loo Siew Soon, 49, and Itam Lasoh, 43, were buried under the rubble during the incident, while two more victims, Mohd Razli Suhaimi, 35, suffered a broken leg while Pan Tam, 38, sustained light injuries.

On Sept 20, rescue personnel found the skeletal remains of one of the two buried victims while bone fragments of the second victim were found the next day.

ACP Yahaya said the DNA samples of Itam have been received and have been sent to a chemical laboratory in Penang for testing.

He added that the DNA samples from the kin of the other victim, who are residing abroad, are being processed and a report would be sent from there.