The family members of Choo Fui Kian, 57, who died after receiving the jab at Miri Hospital on June 26, are now appealing to the health ministry to release the autopsy results to them as soon as possible.
Chu Siew Tzen told a press conference in Miri today that the family could not fathom the circumstances behind her younger sister’s death because she showed no signs of illness when she first visited the vaccination centre at the hospital.
“We still cannot accept it, and we are waiting for the department (health ministry) to give us the final report as we need to know what actually happened to her,” she said in a report in the Borneo Post Online.
“We cannot accept that she was found to have signs of a heart attack.
“Even if a heart attack had occurred, she showed no symptoms of it and she was quite normal when she went for vaccination at the hall.”
Choo’s daughter Sim Geok Wei lodged a police report after the incident. She also indicated the urgent nature of the complaint so that health authorities could release the post-mortem results.
“This is a special case (and) the health ministry should not take a long time to produce the report,” she said, adding that questions would linger over whether her mother’s death was due to the vaccine or negligence by the medical staff.
Senator Alan Ling, who organised the press conference, said the post-mortem was conducted on June 27.
Ling, who also urged for the quick release of the autopsy results, said the report would not only answer the family’s questions but also allay concerns among the public.
He added that he would write to health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah again after getting no response on his first letter urging special attention to the case.
He said the family wanted a transparent report soon so that they could file for a compensation claim.
Ling explained that the people could make a claim from the special financial assistance adverse effects of Covid-19 vaccine fund in the event their relatives experience serious side effects from vaccinations.
He said RM50,000 would be paid to those who encounter serious side effects and have to undergo long-term hospitalisation, and RM500,000 if the case involved permanent disability or death.
The side effect must occur within three months of the vaccination, he said, adding that claims must be made within a year, and autopsy reports are required if death is involved.
Ling, however, said compensation was secondary to Choo’s family.
“Their primary concern is to get the report and to know the results,” he said, adding that so far only the Sarawak health director had issued a statement.
“The findings of an initial investigation seem to put the blame on the deceased’s symptoms of a heart attack, which was rather one-sided.”
Ling said he would also bring up the matter during the Dewan Negara sitting next month.
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