Human Resources Minister M Kulasegaran said low-cost liquor was often the choice of foreigners, and that some of them could produce their own alcoholic beverages.

“I hope employers in this country will take immediate action by conducting checks on foreign workers’ residential premises if they are taking dangerous alcoholic beverages to avoid a worsening toxic alcohol poisoning situation.

“We want foreign workers who are willing to stay away from their families to come here and earn a good income, not become victims of alcohol poisoning,” he told reporters at the Healthy Lifestyle Programme Together with the Human Resources Minister at Bukit Kledang, Menglembu here today.

He had been asked to comment on the cases of toxic alcohol poisoning which led to the deaths of a number of foreign workers including from Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Since Monday, over 20 people both foreign and local have died or been hospitalised in the Klang Valley and Perak due to toxic alcohol poisoning.

Kulasegaran said the Cabinet in its meeting on Wednesday had instructed the ministry responsible to take firm action and conduct more stringent monitoring of premises owners who were found to be selling low-quality liquor.

“We (the Cabinet) suggest that strict action be taken as the sale of alcoholic beverages is readily available. The people are advised not to take low quality liquor to avoid any untoward incidents,” he said.