STOP BEING VAGUE. QUANTIFY AND PUBLISH THE LAB REPORT ON ARSENIC LEVEL FOR RAKYAT TO JUDGE! Septembe r 22 1999 at 06:04:31:
No clear signs of arsenic poison in Anwar: hospital says.
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 (AFP) -
There were no clear signs that jailed Malaysian ex-deputy premier Anwar
Ibrahim has been poisoned with arsenic, a hospital
authority said in remarks published Wednesday.
Anwar however, remains in hospital for other unrelated health problems,
National University Hospital director Khalid Abdul Kadir told the Malay-language
Utusan Malaysia. "So far, there has been no signs that Anwar is gravely
ill or that he
needed intensive care. He also did not show any clear signs that could
establish he was indeed poisoned with arsenic,"
Khalid said.
He stressed this did not mean that Anwar was not poisoned but added that "Anwar is healthy and his health is not worrying."
Another daily cited Khalid as saying a new set of samples of Anwar's
fingernails, urine, hair and blood had been sent for testing in Australia,
Britain and Malaysia's Institute of Nuclear Research after earlier samples
were rejected for not following police
procedures.
The chemical department is also conducting forensic tests on the new specimens, Khalid told the Malay-language Berita Harian newspaper.
The laboratories in Australia and Britain are expected to complete their clinical reports by this weekend, he added.
Berita Harian also cited sources as saying that initial tests on Anwar's hair and fingernails showed a lower arsenic level in his body compared to that of a healthy person.
Daily tests on Anwar's urine also revealed a normal and stable arsenic level, the sources said.
Anwar was hospitalised on September 10, after lawyers alleged at his ongoing sodomy trial that abnormally high levels of arsenic found in his urine indicated a murder attempt, bringing the trial to a halt.
It had been due to resume Monday but was postponed for another week after doctors testified he was still unwell and suffering from high blood pressure and lung problems.
Anwar, who was sacked and arrested last September, is now serving a six-year jail sentence after being found guilty of corruption in April.