ISKANDAR PUTERI: Preliminary findings on the four elephants found dead in Kahang Timur, Kluang, early this month found that the elephants died due to respiratory and organ failure, as well as internal bleeding.
Johor Health and Environment Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said they did not rule out the possibility of the four elephants, a mother elephant and her three calves, were poisoned based on the initial findings of the cause of death and the condition of the animal carcasses.
However, he said the state government was still awaiting laboratory and toxicology test reports on samples from the four elephants before taking further action.
"Based on initial findings, the cause of death for the four elephants was due to respiratory failure and internal bleeding.
"The carcasses of the mother elephant and her three male calves were about 50 metres from one another.
"However, why the four elephants had respiratory and organ failure and internal bleeding requires laboratory tests such as bacteriological and virological tests."
He said this in a press conference after launching the Johor Bersih@Sungai campaign at Sungai Skudai, Kampung Bakar Batu, Perling, here, today.
Also present were State Public Works, Transport, Infrastructure and Communication chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh.
Meanwhile, Ling, who is also Yong Peng state assemblyman, said the post-mortem examinations on the four elephant carcasses were conducted by veterinary experts a day after their discovery.
"Once the post-mortem was completed, the veterinary experts buried the elephant carcasses in the respective areas.
"If it is proven that the death of the elephants were caused by poisoning and there is solid evidence, then legal action will be taken," he added.
On June 1, the elephants were found dead in a cleared plot of land used by villagers to plant crops in Kampung Sri Timur in Kahang Timur here.
It was reported that the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) were conducting further investigation , including an inspection of the surrounding area.
Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said initial reports had identified the four elephants as being from the Bandar Tenggara group in the Lenggor Forest Reserve, Kluang and Kluang Tambahan Forest Reserve, Labir Forest Reserve, Sembrong Forest Reserve, and the Endau Rompin National Park.