KUANTAN: A Form Two student who was found passed out after a drinking session near his school here, yesterday, claims that he was forced by friends into consuming a carbonated drink which turned out to be laced with liquor.
The 14-year-old boy made the allegation in a 1-minute-and-26-second viral video which was shot at his hospital bed at Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital here, on Monday night.
"They said the bottle only contained a carbonated drink, and I assumed it was true. I didn’t know it was mixed with liquor.
"I took two sips and felt dizzy. I became semi-conscious, but could hear people talking around me. When I regained consciousness, I was already in hospital," he said in Tamil.
The boy repeatedly maintained his innocence and pleaded with members of the public not to spread “false news” about the incident.
"I know (the incident occurred) during school hours, but someone forced me to do it. That was the first time I had ever consumed alcohol, and ended up in hospital.
"My parents and siblings have had a hard time because of the incident. I am terribly shaken by the event too," he added.
The incident at 1pm on Monday saw the boy skipping his afternoon session classes to join two classmates in a drinking session near their school.
Passersby later noticed the boy lying unconscious in his school uniform, and a member of the public alerted the school’s management, which rushed him to hospital.
Images of the incident have since gone viral on social media, with some claiming that the victim had suffered methanol poisoning and later died in hospital.
The New Straits Times has contacted the state and district Education Departments for comment on the incident.